Euphorbiaceae week- Excoecaria agallocha L. Mangrove species.

[Rashida Atthar]

Excoecaria agallocha -Milky mangrove. I have taken these pictures a the Salim Ali Bird sanctuary,Goa, mangroves section, in Sep.2010. This is the only member of the Euphorbiaceae family associated with mangroves ( Ref: Godrej A symbiosis of Industry and nature, 2000, pg:91).

It is a resilient mangrove species, does not have salt glands and aerial roots, and so  technically  it is a  non-mangrove or mangrove associate species. It has adapted to its saline environment by a salt excretory mechanism known as gall formation.  The  network of perforated snake-like roots help to  grip  the less consolidated and eroding soils.The species has both male and female trees, female flowers produce pink berry-like fruits from a March to October. The above is male flowering  with several catkin-like spikes. 

 

This is a poisonous plant and may cause blindness if the sap enters the eyes.However,the sap also  has medicinal properties and is indigenously used in the treatment of rheumatism.  

 

regards,

Rashida.

[tanay bose]

Thanks Rashida Ji this info was new for me

Tanay

--

Tanay Bose

Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant.
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[sheetal chaudhari]

Please find attached pic of the roots of milky mangrove.

Roots run along the ground surface and often knotted and covered with lenticels.



Regards,

Sheetal Pachpande

[Rashida Atthar]

Very nice picture Sheetal ji, great to get a good view of the roots, thanks for the same. May I know where was this taken?

 

regards,

Rashida.

[Rashida Atthar]

Two interesting links to the research articles  on the Phytochemical investigations of the bark of Excoecaria and another one on anti-ulcer activity.

 

http://jpronline.info/article/view/1318/887

 

http://www.idosi.org/gjp/3(3)09/2.pdf

 

regards,

Rashida.