Cajanus cajan - Adhaki, Pegion pea

Cajanus cajan L

The 'Cajanus cajan is a perennial legume from the Fabaceae family. Since its domestication in India at least 3,500 years ago, its seeds have become a common food in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Uses

Jaundice,, Stomach pain, Diabetes, Purifying blood, piles, tongue sores, Gum inflammation, Spongy gums,bedsores, wounds, maleria.

Parts Used

Seeds, Leaves.

Chemical Composition

Chemical constituent investigations have indicated that Cajanus cajan leaves are rich in flavonoids and stilbenes. They also contain saponins, conspicuous amount of tannins, and moderate quantities of reducing sugars, resins and terpenoid.

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	Togari, Kari Uddu, Togaribele
Hindi	Arahad, Arahar
Malayalam	Thuvara, Tuvara
Tamil	Tovarai, Thovary
Telugu	Kandulu, Kadulu
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	Tuvari, Adhaki
English	Pigeon Pea, Red Gram

Habit

Tree

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple	tri-foliolate,lanceolate	Leafs are 2.5-13.5 cm long to 1-5.5 cm wide. The leaflets are green above and a silvery grey-green beneath and are covered on their lower surfaces in small yellow glands

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Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Unisexual	14cm long	yellow, papilionaceous	Typical of species belonging to the Leguminosae subfamily Papilionoideae, and resemble, for example, the pea ( Pisum sativum ) flower. Each flower has 10 stamens, 9 of which are fused into a partial tube, with the tenth stamen free. The ovary is positioned above the sepals, petals and stamens. The style is curved	{{{5}}}

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Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
straight or sickle	2-13 cm long x 0.5-1.5 cm	The seeds are 4-9 mm x 3-8 mm and can be white, brown, purplish, black or mottled.	seeds many	{{{5}}}	{{{6}}}

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

• Vishatinduka Taila as root juice extract

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings, Airlayers.

How to plant/cultivate

In terms of taking care of the plant, minimal pruning is required Cutting off dead branches from the interior of the tree is only sometimes needed. In addition, twigs bearing fruit must be twisted or cut down to the trunk to induce growth for the next season. Branches should be pruned every three to four years to maintain its productivity. Stingless bees such as Tetragonula iridipennis are jackfruit pollinators, and as such, play an important role in jackfruit cultivation.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Western Ghats, Malabar Coast.

Photo Gallery

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  Artocarpus hirsutus unripe fruit

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  The ripe fruit of Jungle Jack

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  unripe fruits in a tree

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  The ripe fruit of Anhili with the outer skin removed.

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  ripe fruits

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  a ripe fruit

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  semi-ripe Anhili fruit.

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  Artocarpus hirsutus fungal infection

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  Artocarpus hirsutus fungal infection close-up

External Links

• Artocarpus hirsutus on ENVIS Centre on Conservation of Medicinal Plants
• Artocarpus hirsutus on India Biodiversity Portal
• Artocarpus: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology
• Artocarpus: A review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology
• Pharmacognostical studies on the bark of Artocarpus hirsutus Lam

[[Category:Herbs]