Botanical Name

Mesua ferrea

Family

Clusiaceae

Sanskrit name

Naagakesara

English name

Cobra saffron / Ceylon ironwood

Hindi name

Nag champa

Kannada name

Naga sampige / Kanchana

Habit

Tree

Habitat

In lowland evergreen forest on level or undulating land, usually along streams but also on ridges with shallow soils,

Plant Description

It is a medium-sized evergreen tree up to 13 m tall, often buttressed at the base with a trunk up to 90 cm in diameter. It has simple, narrow, oblong, dark green leaves with a whitish underside; the emerging young leaves are red to yellowish pink and drooping. The flowers are 4-7.5 cm diameter, with four white petals and a centre of numerous yellow stamens.

Distribution

South East Asia

Religious significance

Fragrance during worship (Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Budhhism religions.

Part Used

Fruit, flower

Medicinal uses

Used in herpes,nausea, fever, headache, female infertility.

Other uses

Flowers are used in perfumes