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Terminalia chebula economic botany notes

Economic Botany and Morphology of Terminalia chebula - Harad



Botanical Name: Terminalia chebula   

Family: Combretaceae

Terminalia chebula, a tree species belongs to Combretaceae family is an ethnomedicinal plant used by local people all over India for treating various diseases like laxative, diuretic, asthma, chronic diarrhea, dysentery, piles etc.

It is commonly known as Harad and Harida.

The fruit of T. chebula is considered as the “king of medicines” in Ayurvedic medicine system. Various plant parts of T. chebula are found rich in phytochemicals such as tannins, flavonoids, sterols, amino acids, chebulic acid and chebulinic acid.

It is always listed first in the Indian Ayurvedic medicine system because of its extraordinary powers of

healing with a broad spectrum of biological and medicinal activities.

It is always listed first in the Indian Ayurvedic medicine system because of its extraordinary powers of healing with a broad spectrum of biological and medicinal activities.

It occurs scattered in different forests and found on a variety of soils, clayey as well as shady. 

The whole plant possesses high medicinal value and traditionally used for the treatment of different diseases due to the presence of several phytoconstituents.

Different parts of T. chebula have been reported for their antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antimutagenic, cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory activities due  to the high  content of numerous  phytochemicals.

Morphology of plant

Terminalia chebula is a medium to large deciduous tree growing to 30 m tall, with a trunk with round crown and spreading branches.

The leaves are alternate to subopposite in arrangement, oval have an acute tip, cordate at the base, margins entire, glabrous with two glands near base.

The fruit is drupe broad, blackish, with five longitudinal ridges on outer skin. Fruit is green when unripe and yellowish grey when ripe.

The dull white to yellow flowers are monoecious, and have a strong, unpleasant odour. They are borne in terminal spikes or short panicles. Flowering time is March-April and November-December.

Cultivation

Terminalia chebula is best planted during the monsoon season when the soil is moist, and the temperature is moderate. Fallen fruits are collected in first half of January, they are dried and the seeds can be stored for one year. Seed germination is low because of hard cover and seed requires pre-sowing treatment. Best germination is obtained when the seeds are chipped at their broad end without damaging the embryo and then soaked in water for 36 h, before sowing in nursery beds. Germination starts after 15 days and continues for 3-4 weeks. The tree can be successfully raised by directly sowing the seed or by transplanting the seedlings or by stem cuttings.

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