Queen of Flowers
Other names: Lagerstroemia speciosa, Pride of India, Giant Crape-myrtle, Queen's Crape-myrtle, Banabá Plant,
Identification: It is a deciduous or semi-deciduous small to medium-sized or rarely large tree up to 40(45) m tall; bole fairly straight to crooked, branchless for up to 18 m, up to 100(-150) cm in diameter, often fluted and sometimes with small buttresses, bark surface smooth or with small papery flakes, grey to light fawn-brown mottled, inner bark fibrous, grey-fawn to yellow, turning dirty brown or purple upon exposure; crown usually bushy and spreading. Leaves opposite, distichous, simple, entire, stipules minute or absent.
Flowers in a large, axillary or terminal panicle, often showy, calyx funnel or bell shaped, 6(9) lobed, petals often 6, inserted near the mouth of the calyx tube, white to pink or purple, clawed, wrinkled, stamens many, in several rows, ovary superior, 3-6 locular with many ovules in each cell, style 1. Fruit a large woody capsule on the persistent calyx. Seed with an apical wing.
Description: This is one of only a few deciduous trees which grow in tropical and subtropical areas of the country. Its the reccomended tree for buffer strips around parking lots or highway. It is popular shade tree or residential street tree. The tree has been successfully grown in urban areas where air pollution, poor drainage compacted soil, and/or drought are common.
Uses: Ornamental tree. Banaba extract is used as a natural health supplement and is made from the leaves of the banaba tree. Some research suggests that banaba extract may support blood sugar balance and weight loss. The primary active ingredient is corosolic acid, and there are also numerous possible synergists including lager-stroemin, flosin B and reginin A. Corosolic acid has actions in stimulating glucose transport into cells and thus behaves similarly to insulin. Wood is used for construction.
Where to find in XLRI: Right side along the main road, just before TMDC turn
Count:
Useful Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia_speciosa
http://ctfs.si.edu/webatlas/findinfo.php?specid=4096&leng=english
http://www.soylabs.com/formula/lagerstroemia_speciosa.htm
http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/LAGSPEA.pdf
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