Alstonia scholaris (family : Apocynaceae) Hooghly, WB

[surajit koley]

Sir,

Attaching images of CHATIM GACH (GACH = tree) that i recorded in 2009. I don't know why it has been given an English name like the 'Indian Devil Tree'.

This tree has a connection with the Great Tagore family. Maharshi Debendranath Tagore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debendranath_Tagore) set up an ASHRAM under one of this tree and the place later became the world famous Visva-Bharati University (for more please see - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visva-Bharati_University).

Species : Alstonia scholaris (family : Apocynaceae

Type : plantation

Date : flowering tree: 05-Oct-2009, leaves & fruits : 26-Feb-2009, 08-Feb-2012

Place : Kamarkundu Railway Station (Hooghly District), West Bengal

ID help : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstonia_scholaris

Regards,

Surajit Koley

[Balkar Singh]

Nice Catch Surajit Ji. This tree is in Danger in our area due to attack of some kind of Nematodes almost everywhere...

--
Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[surajit koley]

Thank you Sir. I am attaching a photograph of part of its pod. Did those nematodes produce the nodules on its pods?

Regards,

Surajit

[Mahadeswara]

The tree has also got the name scholar's tree, as writing boards were
prepared from the wood, earlier.

On Feb 21, 10:13 pm, surajit koley <surajitnotavaila...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Sir,
>
> Attaching images of CHATIM GACH (GACH = tree) that i recorded in 2009. I
> don't know why it has been given an English name like the 'Indian Devil
> Tree'.
> This tree has a connection with the Great Tagore family. Maharshi
> Debendranath Tagore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debendranath_Tagore) set
> up an ASHRAM under one of this tree and the place later became the world

> famous Visva-Bharati University (for more please see -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visva-Bharati_University).

>
> Species : Alstonia scholaris (family : Apocynaceae
> Type : plantation
> Date : flowering tree: 05-Oct-2009, leaves & fruits : 26-Feb-2009,
> 08-Feb-2012
> Place : Kamarkundu Railway Station (Hooghly District), West Bengal
> ID help :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstonia_scholaris
>
> Regards,
>
> Surajit Koley
>

>  Alstonia_scholaris_01.jpg
> 282KViewDownload
>
>  Alstonia_scholaris_02.jpg
> 174KViewDownload
>
>  Alstonia_scholaris_03.jpg
> 320KViewDownload
>
>  Alstonia_scholaris_04.jpg
> 71KViewDownload

[surajit koley]

Thank you Mahadeswara ji. I didn't know this name and it is also very apt for the Visva-Bharati story.

Regards,

Surajit Koley

[Satish Chile]

When it blooms emits sweetest smell in the surroundings.

--
Dr. Satish Kumar Chile

[surajit koley]

Sir,

I never noticed it before. This year i will remain alert during October that i think is its flowering time.

Thank you & Regards,

Surajit Koley

[Pankaj Oudhia]

Alstonia pollen are allergic to many. (see attached clipping)

In Traditional Healing many formulations including Pueraria based Formulations are used to manage Alstonia allergy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfaTnhAmFuY

regards

Pankaj Oudhia

[surajit koley]

Thank you Sir for the alert. Maybe that's why they named it the devil tree.

Regards,

Surajit Koley

[Satish Chile]

Sir Surjit ji it flowers in Oct. During Sharad Purnima.

[Sid]

I guess the name ghost tree is due to myths that ghosts reside in this tree. There was discussion about this earlier in our group with really gruesome stories.

http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/a378c6006921b257/f67b52a0123f30c8?lnk=gst&q=yakshi#f67b52a0123f30c8

Sid.

[surajit koley]

Thank you Sir. I will keep a watch during that time and would try to get closer pictures of the flowers.

Regards,

Surajit Koley

[surajit koley]

Thank you Sir for the link. And quite interesting reading it is.

Regards,

Surajit Koley