Ajay Kumar at 00:22, 30 August 2023

2023-08-30T00:22:25Z

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{{short description|Species of plant}}
{{speciesbox
|image = jarul.jpg
|image_caption = Flowers on a tree in [[Kolkata, West Bengal]], India
|genus = Lagerstroemia
|species = speciosa
|authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) [[Christian Hendrik Persoon|Pers.]]
|synonyms = * ''Adambea glabra'' Lam.
* ''Lagerstroemia augusta'' Wall. nom. inval.
* ''Lagerstroemia flos-reginae'' Retz.
* ''Lagerstroemia macrocarpa'' Wall. nom. inval.
* ''Lagerstroemia major'' Retz.
* ''Lagerstroemia munchausia'' Willd.
* ''Lagerstroemia plicifolia'' Stokes
* ''Lagerstroemia reginae'' Roxb.
* ''Munchausia speciosa'' L.
|synonyms_ref = <ref>[http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2353907 L''agerstroemia speciosa'' (L.) Pers. — The Plant List]</ref>
}}

'''''Lagerstroemia speciosa''''' ('''giant crepe-myrtle''', '''Queen's crepe-myrtle''', '''banabá plant''', or '''pride of India''', or "Queen's Flower" or "Jarul"<ref name=Swamy>{{Cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=NoOWDwAAQBAJ&dq=Lagerstroemia+speciosa+(giant+crepe-myrtle,+Queen%27s+crepe-myrtle)&pg=PA197|last1=Swaminathan|first1=M.S.|last2=Kochar|first2=S.L.|title=Major Flowering Trees of Tropical Gardens|year=2019|page=197|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781108481953 }}</ref><ref>"[http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LASP Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. pride of India]." PLANTS Profile, United States Department of Agriculture / Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 2008-07-15.</ref>) is a species of ''[[Lagerstroemia]]'' native to tropical southern Asia. It is a deciduous tree with bright pink to light purple flowers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lagerstroemia speciosa (Giant Crape Myrtle, Queen's Crape Myrtle) {{!}} North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox|url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lagerstroemia-speciosa/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=plants.ces.ncsu.edu}}</ref>

The name "Queen's Flower" is derived from the specific epithet 'reginae' or 'flosreginae', which means "imperial or flower of the queen". The tree bears beautiful attractive flowers in profusion in purple, lilac or pinkish-violet colours, and lasts for many months. Its timber is next only to [[teak]] in its strength.<ref name=Swamy/> It is called Queen Crape myrtle as its flowers look like delicate [[crape paper]].

==Etymology==
The genus ''Lagerstroemia'' was first described by [[Carl Linnaeus]]. The name ''Lagerstroemia'' recognizes [[Magnus von Lagerstroem]], a Swedish naturalist and a merchant who provided specimens from the East for Linnaeus.<ref name=Swamy/>

==Names==
The names in English and other languages are as under:<ref name= Vikas>{{Cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=j98iEAAAQBAJ&dq=Lagerstroemia+speciosa+(giant+crepe-myrtle,+Queen%27s+crepe-myrtle)+vernacular+names&pg=PA43| last=Khatri|first=Vikas|title=Herbal Cure – Medicinal Plants that heal naturally| year=2020|page =43|publisher=V&S Publishers| isbn=9789350571842}}</ref>
* {{lang-as|[[:as:এজাৰ|এজাৰ]]}} ({{transliteration|as|Ezar}})
* {{lang-bn|জারুল (Jarul)}} <ref name= Vikas/>
* English: Pride of India, Queen Crepe Myrtle.<ref name= Vikas/>
* {{lang-hi|जरुल}} ({{transliteration|hi|Jarul}})<ref name= Vikas/>
* {{lang-id|Bungur}}
* {{lang-kn|Hole dasavala}}
* {{lang-pam|Banába}}
* Khmer: ត្របែកព្រៃ (Trobaek Prey)
* {{lang-ms|Bungor raya}} (بوڠور راي)
* {{lang-mal|മണിമരുത്,പൂമരുത്}}
* {{lang-mr|ताम्हण}} ({{transliteration|mr|Tamhan}}), {{lang|mr|जारुळ}} ({{transliteration|mr|Jarul}}), {{lang|mr|मोठा बोंडारा}} <ref name= Vikas/>({{transliteration|mr|Motha Bondara}})
* {{lang-tl|Banaba}}
* {{lang-ta|கதலி (மலர் or Kadali)}}<ref name= Vikas/>
* {{lang-te|Manimaruthu}} <ref name= Vikas/>
* {{lang-th|อินทนิล}} ({{transliteration|th|Inthanin}})
* {{lang-vi|Bằng lăng nước}}

==Growth==
[[Image:Lagerstroemia speciosa at Kepong Botanical Garden, Taman Ehsan (221030).jpg|thumb|right|Bark in [[Selangor]], [[Malaysia]].]]
It is a small to medium-sized to large [[tree]] growing to {{convert|15|m}} tall, with an attractive symmetrical crown having a short bole or trunk with smooth, flaky light grey or cream-coloured bark.<ref name=Swamy/> The [[leaf|leaves]] are simple, [[deciduous]], oval to elliptic with stout petiole, {{convert|8|-|15|cm|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|3|-|7|cm|abbr=on}} broad, with an acute apex. The [[flower]]s are produced in erect [[panicle]]s {{convert|20|-|40|cm|abbr=on}} long, each flower with six white to purple petals {{convert|2|-|3.5|cm|abbr=on}} long. It has simple leaves with, glabrous, large, elliptic or oblong lanceolate.<ref name=Swamy/>

The fruits are ellipsoid or sub-globose woody capsules. They are green at first, but later turn brown and finally black. The fruits hang on to the trees. It is easily raised through seeds. It grows best on rich deep alluvial loams and prefers warm, humid and moist soils and can withstand water logging.<ref name=Swamy/>

Flowering occurs 3–5 years after planting and the main flowering season is April–June with a second flush in July–August. The fruits ripen in November–January.<ref name=Swamy/> p. 198

==Cultivation and uses==
{{more citations needed section|date=October 2011}}
It is grown in South East Asia, China India, Bangladesh and the Philippines and even extends to Australia. It is native to India particularly in the western ghats of India covering Belgaum, north and south Kanara, Malabar and Travancore and also in Assam and West Bengal.<ref name=Swamy/> It is also widely cultivated as an [[ornamental plant]] in tropical and [[Subtropics|subtropical areas]].The leaves of the banabá and other parts are used widely in the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan as a tea preparation. Banabá herb is one of the 69 herbal plants promoted by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH).<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://erdb.denr.gov.ph/publications/rise/r_v14n2.pdf |title=Propagation Management Of Herbal and Medicinal Plants|year=2002|author=Eduardo B. Principe and Aurora S. Jose|series=Research Information Series On Ecosystems| volume=14| issue=2
|access-date=25 January 2013 }} {{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref> In Vietnam, the plant's young leaves are consumed as vegetables, and its old leaves and mature fruit are used in traditional medicine for reducing glucose in blood.<ref>{{ cite book | first1=Yoshitaka | last1=Tanaka | first2=Nguyen | last2=Van Ke | date=2007 | title=Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden | publisher=Thailand: Orchid Press | isbn=978-9745240896 | page=90}}</ref> The seeds have narcotic properties.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hargreaves|first1=Dorothy|last2=Hargreaves|first2=Bob|title=Tropical Trees of the Pacific|year=1970|publisher=Hargreaves|location=Kailua, Hawaii|page=16}}</ref>

==Chemistry==
Chemical compounds that have been isolated from the extract include [[corosolic acid]], [[lager-stroemin]], [[flosin B]], and [[reginin A]].<ref>{{cite journal | pmc=2176148 | year=2007 | last1=Klein | first1=G. | last2=Kim | first2=J. | last3=Himmeldirk | first3=K. | last4=Cao | first4=Y. | last5=Chen | first5=X. | title=Antidiabetes and Anti-obesity Activity of Lagerstroemia speciosa | journal=Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine | volume=4 | issue=4 | pages=401–407 | doi=10.1093/ecam/nem013 | pmid=18227906 }}</ref>

==Medicinal uses==
Giant Crape Myrtle's seeds are [[narcotic]], bark and leaves are purgative, roots are astringent, stimulant and [[febrifuge]] (fever removing). Decoction of leaves is used in diabetes. In [[Manipur]], its fruit is used locally applied for [[apathy]] of the mouth <ref name= Vikas/>

==Recognition==
Pride of India or ''Tāmhan'' in [[Marathi language|Marathi]] is recognised as the state flower of the state of [[Maharashtra]] in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.onlinesaraswati.com/en/Maharashtra-State-Symbols.php|title=Maharashtra State Symbols|website=www.onlinesaraswati.com|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref>

In [[Hindu mythology]], it is said that worshipping Lord [[Brahma]] results in blossoming of these flowers of Giant Crape Myrtle and Banaba tree and as such it brings prosperity to the house.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stylenrich.com/queens-flower-benefits/|last=Samantaray|first= Anamika|title=Health Benefits Of Queen Flower Plant!|date=15 December 2020|publisher=StylEnrich.com}}</ref>

==In Buddhism==
In [[Theravada Buddhism]], this plant is said to have been used as the tree for achieving enlightenment, or Bodhi by the eleventh [[Buddha]] ("Paduma – පදුම"), and the twelfth Buddha (Naarada – නාරද)t. The plant is known as මුරුත (Murutha) in Sinhala and Mahaasona – මහාසොණ in Sanskrit.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Fruit, leaves & Drongo I IMG 5962.jpg|Fruit, leaves & [[black drongo]] ([[Kolkata, West Bengal]], India)
Image:Flowers & leaves I IMG 1864.jpg|Flowers and leaves ([[Kolkata, West Bengal]], India)
Image:Dried Fruits I IMG 1380.jpg|Dried fruits ([[Kolkata, West Bengal]], India)
Image:Dried Fruit I IMG 3279.jpg|Dried fruits ([[Kolkata, West Bengal]], India)
Image:Lagerstroemia Speciosa.JPG| Flowering small tree ([[Narsingdi, Bangladesh]])
Image:Banaba Flower (Lagerstroemia speciosa).jpg|Inflorescence close up ([[Camarines Sur, Philippines]])
File:Lagerstroemia speciosa shrubs.jpg|Young plants in polybags ([[Thrissur]], [[Kerala]], India)
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2014}}
* Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening'' 3: 10.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Lagerstroemia speciosa}}
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=117489 Flora of Pakistan: ''Lagerstroemia speciosa'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1137593}}

[[Category:Lagerstroemia|speciosa]]
[[Category:Flora of tropical Asia]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants of Asia]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon]]
[[Category:Symbols of Maharashtra]]

Lagerstroemia speciosa - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 00:22, 30 August 2023