Common Name: Katira

General Information

Cochlospermum religiosum is a small, rather crooked-branched, more or less deciduous tree growing about 7 metres tall[, ].
The plant is used locally for the its gum. Considered a sacred tree in its native range, it is often cultivated near temples where the flowers are used as temple offerings[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - India and Myanmar.

Habitat

Cultivated ground[]. Dry forests, especially on stony hills[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	7.50 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil and a sunny position[].
Plants can flower and fruit all year round[].

Edible Uses

The oil cakes from the pressed seed can be eaten[].

The insoluble gum obtained from the plant can be used as a substitute for tragacanth when making ice cream[].

Leaves and young shoots. They are cut into small pieces and cooked with salt and chilli, and garnished with mustard seeds, curry leaves and onions in oil[].

Medicinal

The gum obtained from this plant is sweetish, cooling and sedative[]. It is used in the treatment of coughs and gonorrhoea[].

The dried leaves and flowers are stimulant[].

Other Uses

An oil is obtained from the seed[, ].

The source of an insoluble gum that can be used as a substitute for gum tragacanth[]. It occurs in irregular, rounded, translucent clumps of a pale bluff colour[].
Gum tragacanth, obtained from several Astragalus spp, has a wide range of uses including in cosmetics, calico printing, confectionary, medicinally as a suspending medium for insoluble medicines etc[].

The seeds possess a short but very soft and elastic floss[]. This floss is much too short to be of any service as a textile but, along with the flosses of Bombax malabaricum, Eriodendron anfractuosum and Calotropis gigantea, it has been classed as a 'silk cotton'. In some parts of India the floss of this tree is collected and used for stuffing pillows,
for which purpose it would seem better suited than the floss from Bombax malabaricum, since it is not so liable to get matted[]. The floss is said to induce sleep when stuffed into pillows[]. It might also be found serviceable as a gun cotton[].

The wood is extremely soft[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings of leafy shoots as new growth commences[]. Any branch, stuck in the ground in wet weather, will make roots and grow[].

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