Melaleuca leucadendra L.

കൈപ്പൂത്തിമരം

Family : MYRTACEAE

Synonym : Myrtus leucadendra L.

Common Names : Kaipoothimaram

Flowering Period : July-November

Distribution : Native of Australia

Habitat : Cultivated

Uses : The essential oil is used as a flavouring in items such as candy, baked goods, condiments, relishes etc. The fruits and leaves are used to make a tea. An essential oil obtained from the leaves contains several terpenoids including 50 - 60% of the strongly antiseptic cineole, betapinene and alpha-terpineol. It is aromatic and stimulant with a strong camphoraceous aroma. It is expectorant, relieves spasms, increases perspiration and expels internal parasites. It is used internally in the treatment of bronchitis, tuberculosis, colds, sinusitis, gastric infections and roundworms. Externally, it is used to treat rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, acne, nasal congestion, sinusitis, toothache, chilblains and skin diseases. The leaves and twigs can be harvested at any time of the year and used fresh, dried or the essential oil can be extracted.

Key Characters :

Trees, to 8 m high; bark spongy, peeling of in large sheets; young parts silky white tomentose; branches slender, pendulous. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral, clustered towards the tip, estipulate; petiole 4-7 mm, slender, flattened, silky tomentose; lamina 4-6 x 1-2 cm, elliptic or elliptic-ovate, base acute or cuneate, apex acute or acuminate, margin entire, silky tomentose when young, glabrous at maturity, glandular-punctate, coriaceous; 5-7-ribbed from the base, prominent, intercostae reticulate, prominent. Flowers bisexual, in terminal or subterminal spikes, solitary or 2-3 together; calyx tube urceolate, adnate to the ovary at the base, lobes 5, short, orbicular, scarious towards on the margins; petals 5, round, spreading; stamens many, united at the base into 5 bundles, each with 5-8 filaments; ovary inferior, 3-celled, ovules many; style terminal, filiform. Fruit a loculicidal capsule; seeds many.