Ceylon Iron Wood, milk tree, Wedge-leaved Flower, Rayan, khirni

Plant Description

Khirni is a small to medium-sized, slow-growing but fairly large glabrous evergreen tree that normally grows about 12 to 25 meters tall and one to three meters in trunk circumference. It grows in tropical and temperate forests. The bark is blackish-grey, longitudinally fissured and cracked, and rough. The wood is hard, durable, and heavy; the density is variously reported as ranging from about 0.83 to 1.08 tons per cubic meter, partly depending on the degree of drying. It is used for heavy structural work, gate posts, and big beams.

Leaves

Leaves are simple, alternate, often closely clustered towards the end of branchlets, with conspicuous scars. The petiole is 8-20 mm, slender, slightly grooved above, and glabrous. Leaf-blade is 5-10 cm long and 3-4.5 cm wide, elliptic, elliptic-obovate, obovate, or ovate-oblong. Both surfaces are smooth, base broadly wedge-shaped to obtuse. Margin is entire, glabrous, and coriaceous. Lateral nerves 10-20 pairs are closely pinnate, slender, midrib raised below; intercostal reticulate.

Flower

Flowers are bisexual, 7 mm across, white, 1 or 2 axillary. The pedicel is thick about 3.5 cm long. Sepals are ovate- triangular, 3-4 mm, yellowish-gray velvety. Flowers are white or light yellow, about 4 mm. Petals are oblong, about 3 mm. Stamen 6-8, alternating with staminodes, bifid; staminodes shorter than stamen, filaments glabrous, lanceolate; ovary? pubescent, 12-celled, superior; style 4-5 mm, subulate; stigma simple. Flowering normally takes place between August-December.

Fruits

Fertile flowers are followed by one-seeded berry, obovoid-oblong or ellipsoid, 1.5 mm long and 8 mm wide. They are initially green turning to reddish-yellow as they mature. Seeds are ovoid and about 1 cm long, reddish-brown with shining testa.

Ethno medical uses of Khirni in India

Health Benefits of Khirni

Listed below are some of the popular health benefits of Khirni

1. Cures Fevers and Jaundice

Juice derived from the pulp of khirni fruit is bestowed with valuable antioxidants – myricetin and quercetin, which supply significant antipyretic i.e. body temperature lowering traits. Drinking a glass of fresh khirni juice is a well-known remedy for fever and jaundice, vastly diminishing the symptoms of body pain? and discomfort.

2. Augments Kidney Function

Khirni fruit is endowed with proteins, which aside from building strong muscles and promoting metabolism, also possess diuretic properties. This fosters normal excretory processes and helps to get rid of toxins, waste matter, and undigested food accumulated in the system, by means of optimal kidney activity, thereby preventing kidney disorders.

3. Heals Skin Infections

A vast array of triterpenoid plant chemicals in khirni make it a superb natural solution to treat skin infections. Additionally, khirni also possesses powerful antimicrobial properties. Applying the paste from fruit extract directly on the skin provides instant relief from rashes, itching?, and psoriasis?, thus enriching its texture and restoring suppleness and radiance to the skin.

4. Alleviates Stomach Ulcers

Khirni fruits encompass noteworthy levels of tannins and saponins – valuable plant compounds that remarkably mend gastrointestinal ulcers. Adding a few slices of khirni fruit to breakfast or having it as a snack in the evening soothes the tummy, by regulating gastric acid volumes and stimulating protective mucosal secretions by the walls of the stomach.

5. Enhances Immunity

Immense quantities of vitamin C are found in khirni fruit, making it an advantageous food for improving the body’s defense mechanism. The antioxidant nature of vitamin C also aids in flushing out harmful free radicals from the system. Moreover, khirni fruit holds considerable antimicrobial potential, shielding the body from bacteria and viruses that trigger diseases.

Traditional uses and benefits of Khirni

• It is a medicinal tree used in the treatment of excess thirst, emaciation, bleeding disorders, ulcers, bronchitis, jaundice, fever, arthritis, etc.
• It is used in medicinal herbal drugs to cure various diseases such as jaundice,  ulitis,  odontopathy,  fever, colic dyspepsia?, helminthiasis, hyper dyspepsia, and burning sensation.
• It is beneficial in swelling?, abdominal colic, gout?, rheumatism, and toxicosis.
• Traditionally Bark is used to treat a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders.
• It improves taste, promotes physical strength, and is aphrodisiac in nature.
• Stem bark decoction is used as an effective remedy in dysentery and diarrhea.
• Mashed fruits are taken to cure diseases like arthritis and jaundice, also used for heat burning, homicide, and to purify the blood by the local population of Nawargaon village.
• It purifies the blood.
• Leaf extract is used in the treatment of Asthma.
• In toothache, the latex of the tree is applied to teeth and gums.
• Root extract is used in the treatment of headaches.
• To relieve body aches, water boiled with stem bark is used for bathing.
• Extract of stem bark is used as a tonic.
• Stem bark infusion is used to promote and increase breast milk.
• Decoction of bark and mashed fruits is used in fever and hallucinations.
• Decoction of bark  and mashed  fruits  are  used  in  sacred  groves  in  Pudukottai district  Tamil  Nadu  for  fever  and
• It is especially useful in treating gum problems and dental disorders such as bleeding gums, gum inflammation?, sudden discharge of blood from gums, odontopathy, etc.
• Bark and seed coats are used for strengthening the gum.
• They are useful in hallucinations, loss of consciousness?, anorexia, bronchitis, leprosy, and vitiated conditions of pitta.
• Seeds are useful in ulcers and the opacity of the cornea?.

Other Facts

• Wood is used for heavy structural work, gate posts, and big beams.
• It is also used for turning and carpentry in spite of the difficulties of working with such dense wood.
• This species is often used as a rootstock for the sapodilla (M. zapota) in India.
• Its tender parts are used as toothbrush.