Cleistanthus collinus

Botanical Name – Cleistanthus collinus

Common Name – Indrayava, Kaudigam, Kutaja, Nandi (Sanskrit), Garari, Garri, Karra, Garra, Garadi, Rari (Hindi), Garari (Marathi)

Habit – Medium sized deciduous trees

Habitat – Dry Deciduous Forests

Distribution – Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala

Specific properties

• Adapts to harsh environments, rocky areas
• Suitable for wasteland reclamation and restoration of eroded, mined lands
• Used in agroforestry
  
  

Uses

• The stem, twigs and leaf extract is used as a biopesticide in paddy cultivation
• Its fast growth and coppicing ability make it suitable for use as a live fence
• The plant has been used in traditional systems of medicine for its potential antifungal, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties
• Extracts of the plant have shown larvicidal activity, potentially useful in controlling mosquito populations 
• Extracts of leaves, roots and fruits have been used in acute gastrointestinal disorders
• The leaves and fruits are toxic.
• Tree is suitable for building posts and poles
• Leaves extracts are used as abortifacient
  
  

Propagation

• Seed germination, nodal segments, or shoot tip encapsulation