Pongamia pinnata - Karanjah

Karanjah

Pongamia pinnata is a genus of legume in the fabaceae family. Recently it has been proposed that the genus Pongamia be rejected in favor of the genus Millettia and many species have been reclassified. Due to recent interest in biofuels, Pongamia is often the generic name given for Millettia pinnata, a tree being explored for producing biodiesel.

Uses

Dyspepsia, Skin diseases, Rheumatic joints, Scabies, Bronchitis, Whooping cough, Febrifuge, Bleeding haemorrhoids

Parts Used

Dried foliage, Whole herb.

Chemical Composition

The metabolities, beta-sitosteryl acetate and galactoside, stigma sterol, its galactoside and sucrose are being reported for the first time from this plant.

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	ಹೊಂಗೆ ಮರ Honge mara, ಹುಲಿಗಿಲಿ ಮರ Huligili mara, ಕರಂಜ Karanja
Hindi	Dithouri, Karuaini
Malayalam	Avittal, Ungu, Unu, Pungu
Tamil	Pungan, Pongana
Telugu	Lamiga, Kanuga
Marathi	Karanja
Gujarathi	Kanajo, Karanji
Punjabi	Karanj
Kashmiri	Kath
Sanskrit	Karanjaka, Natkamala
English	Smooth leaved pongamia

Properties

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

Dravya

Rasa

Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Tikshna (Sharp)

Veerya

Ushna (Hot)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Kapha, Vata

Prabhava

Habit

Evergreen tree

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Imparipinnate	Ovate-oblong	Leaflets 5-7, opposite, leaflet 4.5-12 x 2-7 cm, margin entire, secondary veins 5 - 8 pairs, pinnate, tertiary veins reticulate, obscure.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Bisexual	15-18mm long	Purplish white	10	Flowers bisexual, purplish-white, 15-18 mm long, in lax axillary racemes, axis pubescent; bracts small, cauducous. Calyx tube campanulate; minutely 5 toothed, apex truncate; corolla exserted. Petals 5, clawed; standard suborbicular with curved folds above the claw; wings obliquely oblong, slightly adnate above the claws to the obtuse keel petals which are joined near the tip. Stamens 10, monadelphous, the vexillary stamen free below and above; anthers uniform. Ovary subsessile, inferior, 1-celled, ovules 2; style in curved, beardless; stigma capitate.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
Pod	4-5 x 2-2.5 cm		Obliquely oblong, flat, thick, pointed at both ends, indehiscent, slightly falcate	One	{{{6}}}

Other features

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

Seeds, remaining viable for sometime, require no special scarification. Direct sowing is usually successful. Seedlings transplant easily from the nursery after about a year. Root suckers are rather plentiful as well. It is a rapid-growing coppice species that can be cloned.

Commonly seen growing in areas

River banks, Coastal areas.

Photo Gallery

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  Young pods

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  Seeds

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External Links

• Pongamia pinnata on journal of natural products
• Pongamia pinnata on flowers of india
• Pongamia pinnata on http://agritech.tnau.ac.in
• Pongamia pinnata on agriculture information