Pterospermum acerifolium - Karnikara

Karnikara, Pterospermum acerifolium

Karnikara, Pterospermum acerifolium is an evergreen tree with an irregular crown with thick, steeply ascending branches; it can grow up to 30 metres tall. The bole is often crooked. The tree is gathered from the wild for a range of local uses - medicinal, timber, plate substitutes etc. It is planted as a roadside tree or garden ornamental, being valued especially for its beautiful, fragrant blooms; large leaves; and the shade it provides

Uses

Headache, Ulcers, Wounds, Throat infection, Bleeding disorders, Cough and cold, Inflammation

Parts Used

Flower

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	kanaka champaka
Hindi	kanak champa, muchkund
Malayalam
Tamil	matsakanda, thadayamaram, turumotpalam, vennangu
Telugu	mathsyakanda, matsakanda
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	karnikara, ksatravrksa, mucakunda
English	Dinner plate tree

Properties

Reference: Dravya - Substance, Rasa - Taste, Guna - Qualities, Veerya - Potency, Vipaka - Post-digesion effect, Karma - Pharmacological activity, Prabhava - Therepeutics.

Rasa

Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Katu (Pungent)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Rooksha (Dry)

Veerya

Ushna (Hot)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Pitta, Kapha, Vata

Habit

Tree

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple	alternate	Leaves polymorphous, obovate to orbicular or oblong, cordate, sometimes peltate at base, coarsely serrate at margin, entire or sinuately lobed at apex, 18-32 x 10-28 cm, grey-tomentose beneath; stipules multifid, caducous.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Bisexual	axillary, solitary or in 2 or 3 flowered cymes	Pale yellow		fragrant; bracts semilunar; bracteoles laciniate, caducous. Sepals linear-oblong, obtuse, 11-12.5 x 0.7-1.4 cm, fleshy, densely tomentose outside, villous inside. Petals linear-oblong, 8-10 x 0.7-1.2 cm, slightly shorter than sepals, stellate-pubescent outside, white. Staminodes ca 6 cm long, clavate. Ovary oblong, 5-loculed; ovules many in 2 rows; stigma clavate.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
A capsule	7.5-14 cm long	stalked, oblong, 5-angled, woody and brown-tubercled		Seeds obliquely ovoid, compressed with a large membranous wing.	{{{6}}}

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tropical area, Sub tropical area

Photo Gallery

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  Flower

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  Leaves

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  Capsules

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  Tree

External Links

• [1]
• [2]