Calotropis gigantea - Arka plant

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Sadapushpa, Mandara, Calotropis flower

It is a large shrub growing to 4 m (13 ft) tall. It has clusters of waxy flowers that are either white or lavender in color. Each flower consists of five pointed petals and a small "crown" rising from the center which holds the stamens. The aestivation found in calotropis is valvate i.e. sepals or petals in a whorl just touch one another at the margin, without overlapping. The plant has oval, light green leaves and milky stem. The latex of Calotropis gigantea contains cardiac glycosides, fatty acids, and calcium oxalate.

Uses

Rheumatism, painful joints, Skin blemishes, Leucoderma, vitiligo, Piles, Pain in ears

Parts Used

Root, Bark, Flowers, Leaf, Latex.

Chemical Composition

The milky sap contains a complex mix of chemicals, some of which are steroidal heart poisons known as "cardiac aglycones". These belong to the same chemical family as similar chemicals found in foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea). The steroidal component includes an hydroxyl group in the C3β position, a second attached to the C14 carbon, a C/D-cis ring junction and an α,β-unsaturated-γ-lactone in the C17 position. In the plants, the steroidal component is commonly attached via a glycosidic link to a 2-desoxy or a 2,6-didesoxy sugar molecule

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	Ekka, Ekkagida
Hindi	Ak, Akada, Safed-ak
Malayalam	Erikku
Tamil	Vellaerukku
Telugu	Nallajelledu, Mandaramu
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	Swetarka, Arka, Ravi
English	Madar

Habit

Large shrub

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
milky white sap	large, relatively thick (5-30 cm long and 4-15 cm wide)	The leaves greyish-green in colour and have entire margins

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Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
borne in clusters	15-25 mm across	white or pinkish	five	Flowering occurs mostly during winter.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
large	6-12 cm long and 3-7 cm wide		These fruit have thick and spongy skins which split open at maturity	numerous brown, flattened seeds	{{{6}}}

Other features

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

• Vishatinduka Taila as root juice extract

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering.

How to plant/cultivate

Succeeds in the drier tropics. Most commonly found in areas of the tropics with a specific dry season, at elevations up to 1,000 metres

Commonly seen growing in areas

western Himalayas, open woodland, moisty soil area.

Photo Gallery

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  Calotropis procera

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  Calotropis procera fruit

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  Calotropis procera

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  Calotropis procera

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  Calotropis procera

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  Calotropis gigantea

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  Calotropis gigantea

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  Floral tassels made from Calotropis flowers.

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