Botanical Name: Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser
Family: Rubiaceae
Common names: Burflower tree or Cadamba
Vernacular/Local name: Kadamb
Diagnostic characters: Evergreen tree. Flowers small, orange in dense, globose heads. The tree produces globose inflorescences, which are yellow to orange in color, and are highly aromatic.
Phenology: June – November
Etymology: The genus name Neolamarckia honors the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and the species name cadamba is derived from the Sanskrit word “kadamba,” the traditional name for this plant. The tree holds cultural significance, lending its name to the ancient Kadamba Dynasty.
Uses:
- The plant possesses medicinal properties, exhibiting antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities.
- The tree’s ability to grow in degraded soils and its tolerance to waterlogging make it an ideal species for reforestation and land rehabilitation projects.
- It is the larval host plant of the Commander butterfly.
References:
- A. Pandey, P.S. Negi (2016). Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Neolamarckia cadamba: A review. J. Ethnopharmacol. 181: 118–135.
