Common Name: Garlic Pear tree, Sacred Barna. Tamil Name: Adhicharam, Mavilankai
Sacred barna is a small deciduous tree found around dry forest ranges. It has great medicinal and religious value. It grows to around 7 meters in height, the bark of the tree is light grey in color and the trifoliate leaves are arranged in an alternate manner. The common petiole of the trifoliate leaf is around 5.5 cm long. The central leaf length measurers around 8 cm, the lateral leaves are smaller- measuring around 7 cm in length. Each leaflet has a leaf stalk. The leaves are ovate in shape with an acuminate tip and a cuneate base. The lateral leaflet base is unequal. The flowers are in the form of terminal corymbs. The flower stalk measure around 1.5 cm in length. The calyx (4mm in length) is green in color and is polysepalous with four sepal elements. The flowers have four petals which are initially white in color; which turn to yellow quickly. The petal elements are separate they are obovate in shape and measure around 7 mm in length. The flower measures around 3 cm across. The flower encloses around 25-30 stamens, the stamen filaments (2.2 cm length) are purple in color. The gynophore is around 2.5 cm long. The fruit is in the form of a round berry measuring around 4-5 cm in diameter. The leaves are cooked and consumed; the plant yields a yellow dye. Sacred barna plant has diverse applications in Ayurvedic medicinal systems. The tree is uncommon around Coimbatore district, perhaps not planted because it is rather slow growing. I observed Barna tree profusely flowering in Coimbatore in the months of November and April; during these peak flowering periods they remain in near leafless condition. The plant was observed to produce root suckers. This beautiful tree needs to be planted more often around Coimbatore district. Garlic pear tree is the larval host for Psyche butterfly and perhaps many more.
