Saturday 19 February 2011

Arali (Nerium indicum)






Arali (Nerium indicum) is an ornamental plant known for its bright pink to red flowers. Though the flowers make great visual display, they are also highly poisonous.
The plants grow as big shrub, reaching a height of 3 m. The milky secretion from leaves and seeds has toxic effects. The plant is grown in almost all parts of Kerala India, except in frosty and desert conditions.
Propagation can be either through stem cuttings or seeds.
Arali, also common oleander or pink oleander has different medicinal properties too. It is used as a diuretic, expectorant and emetic.
Nerium indicum belongs to the family apocynaceae.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Apocynoideae
Tribe: Wrightieae
Genus: Nerium
L.
Species: N. oleander
Binomial name
Nerium oleander
L.
Synonyms
Nerium indicum Mill.
Nerium odorum Aiton