Anamirta cocculus (L.) Wight & Arn. (MENISPERMACEAE)
Common names
Kannada: Chiplukotte, Kage mari.
Sanskrit: Kakmari.
Tamil: Kakka-kolyvirai.
Description: Large woody stragglers with drooping branches; bark thick, corky. Leaves alternate, ovate to broadly ovate, up to 28 x 24 cm, cordate or truncate at base, acute to acuminate at apex; axils of principal nerves beneath with tufts of hairs; petioles up to 18 cm long. Flowers in large up to 40 cm long, drooping panicles from old branches, greenish white, scented. Perianth with 2 small outer and 6 large inner lobes. Stamens in male flowers connate in to a synandrium with 30-35 anthers forming a globose head on short, stout column of adherent filaments; anthers dehiscing transversely. Staminodes in female flowers 6, club shaped. Carpels 3(-4) on short gynophore; style lateral. The drupelets are approximately 1 x 0.8 centimeters in size, initially white and later transforming into a dark blue color.
Flowering & Fruiting : August – March.
Distribution: India: In evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, banks of rivers or streams, coastal forests, on limestone and sandy soil, up to 500 m. Uttar Pradesh,Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Sri Lanka,Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand to Malesia.
Uses: The fruits are used to stupefy fish and to poison crows. Plants used for external application in some types of ringworm and other skin affections; roots are used for treating tumours, phylariasis, poisoning, anaemia, dysponoea and hair falling; fruits are used to kill lice on scalp and are effective in treatment of schizophrenia, used as an antidote for barbiturate and morphine poisoning; fresh fruit juice is a good application to scabies and foul ulcers; seed antiphthisic.
