Myristica dactyloides - Jatiphala

Jatiphala, Myristica dactyloides

Jatiphala is a large evergreen tree found in the wet forests of the western ghats in south India and Sri Lanka. It is closely related to the nutmeg tree.

Uses

Asthma, Bad breath, Excessive thirst, Irritable bowel syndrome, Indigestion, Aphrodisiac, Cough, Cold, Diarrhea, Skin problems

Parts Used

Seeds

Chemical Composition

Beta pipene, alpha terpinene, safrole, methyl eugenol, myristicin, trimyristin, dihydro-dioeugeneol, myristic acid, epicatechin, cyanadin, nectandrin-B, Verrucosin, lignans and neolignans etc.

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	kaadu jaapatre, kadu jaajikaai, kadu pindi kayi
Hindi	Jaiphal
Malayalam	adakkappayin, panthappayin
Tamil	catikkaymaram, kattuc catikkay, kattucati, pattaippanu, pattapanku
Telugu	adavijaajikaaya
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	Jatiphala, Malatiphala
English

Properties

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

Dravya

Rasa

Tikta (Bitter), Katu (Pungent)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Teekshna (Piercing, strong, penetrative)

Veerya

Sheeta (Cold)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Kapha, Pitta

Prabhava

Habit

Tree

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple	Alternate	Leaves simple, alternate, distichous, 12-25 x 4-10 cm, oblong or elliptic-ovate, apex acute, base acute, round or rarely cuneate, margin entire, glabrous, shining above and glaucous beneath, coriaceous; lateral nerves 10-25 pairs, pinnate, prominent, intercostae reticulate, faint; petiole 1-2.5 cm long, grooved above, glabrous.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Unisexual			7-15	male flowers 10-20 together in short axillary dense clusters, female flowers as in male, generally 3-4 in the heads; ovary superior, sessile, ovoid-globose, appressed pubescent, 1-celled, ovule 1; stigma oblique, 2-lobed.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
Capsule	5-7.5 x 3.7-6 cm	pericarp rufous pubescent when young, thick, succulent	seed one, ovoid; aril orange red, encircling the seed, deeply cut down into many lobes, each lanceolate at the apex into filiform segments.		{{{6}}}

Other features

How to plant/cultivate

Seed - dries out easily, loses its viability rapidly, and cannot be stored. It is best sown in a shaded position in a nursery seedbed - germination is usually fairly quick with the seed of most species sprouting within 2 - 17 weeks. Grow the young plants on in a shady position, planting them out in their permanent positions when large enough.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tropical area, Evergreen forest.

Photo Gallery

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  Leaves

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  Leaf underside

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  Fruits

External Links

• Myristica dactyloides on the ferns information.com
• Myristica dactyloides on google.com/search

• Myristica dactyloides on easyayurveda.com