Prosopis cineraria - Revision history

Priyankasingh: minor edit

2026-01-31T07:50:03Z

minor edit

91.235.65.22: /* External links */

2023-03-09T15:42:20Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:12, 9 March 2023
Line 65:		Line 65:
	[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]		[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]
	[[Category:Provincial symbols of Rajputana Praant (India)]]		[[Category:Provincial symbols of Rajputana Praant (India)]]
			[[Category:Provincial symbols of Telugu Praant (India)]]
	[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]		[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]

172.69.79.156 at 16:50, 22 December 2022

2022-12-22T16:50:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:20, 22 December 2022
Line 14:		Line 14:
	}}		}}

	'''''Prosopis cineraria''''', also known as '''~~ghaf~~''', is a species of [[Flowering plant\|flowering]] [[tree]] in the [[pea]] family, [[Fabaceae]]. It is native to [[arid]] portions of [[Western Asia]] and the [[Indian Subcontinent]], including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Its leaves are shattered and stripy along its branch. It can survive extreme drought. It is an established [[introduced species]] in parts of [[Southeast Asia]], including [[Indonesia]].<ref name="LIFE"/>		'''''Prosopis cineraria''''', also known as '''Ghaf tree''', is a species of [[Flowering plant\|flowering]] [[tree]] in the [[pea]] family, [[Fabaceae]]. It is native to [[arid]] portions of [[Western Asia]] and the [[Indian Subcontinent]], including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Its leaves are shattered and stripy along its branch. It can survive extreme drought. It is an established [[introduced species]] in parts of [[Southeast Asia]], including [[Indonesia]].<ref name="LIFE"/>

	The ʿGhaf is the national tree of the [[United Arab Emirates]]. Through the ''Give a Ghaf campaign'' its citizens are urged to plant it in their gardens to combat [[desertification]] and to preserve their country's heritage.<ref>{{cite news\|url=http://www.7daysindubai.com/UAE-groups-help-save-ghaf-trees-Combat/story-19300102-detail/story.html\|title=UAE groups help to save ghaf trees on UN 'Combat Desertification Day'\|last=Philp\|first=Myra\|date=2013-06-17\|newspaper=7DAYS in Dubai\|access-date=2018-03-21\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012075247/http://www.7daysindubai.com/UAE-groups-help-save-ghaf-trees-Combat/story-19300102-detail/story.html\|archive-date=2013-10-12\|url-status=dead\|publisher=Al Sidra Media}}</ref> The desert village of [[Nazwa]] in the UAE is home to the Al Ghaf Conservation Reserve.<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/six-natural-reserves-declared-in-dubai-1.247444\|title=Six natural reserves declared in Dubai\|work=The National\|access-date=2018-09-09\|language=en}}</ref>		The ʿGhaf is the national tree of the [[United Arab Emirates]]. Through the ''Give a Ghaf campaign'' its citizens are urged to plant it in their gardens to combat [[desertification]] and to preserve their country's heritage.<ref>{{cite news\|url=http://www.7daysindubai.com/UAE-groups-help-save-ghaf-trees-Combat/story-19300102-detail/story.html\|title=UAE groups help to save ghaf trees on UN 'Combat Desertification Day'\|last=Philp\|first=Myra\|date=2013-06-17\|newspaper=7DAYS in Dubai\|access-date=2018-03-21\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012075247/http://www.7daysindubai.com/UAE-groups-help-save-ghaf-trees-Combat/story-19300102-detail/story.html\|archive-date=2013-10-12\|url-status=dead\|publisher=Al Sidra Media}}</ref> The desert village of [[Nazwa]] in the UAE is home to the Al Ghaf Conservation Reserve.<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/six-natural-reserves-declared-in-dubai-1.247444\|title=Six natural reserves declared in Dubai\|work=The National\|access-date=2018-09-09\|language=en}}</ref>
Line 59:		Line 59:
	[[Category:Drought-tolerant trees]]		[[Category:Drought-tolerant trees]]
	[[Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula]]		[[Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula]]
			[[Category:National symbols of the United Arab Emirates]]
	[[Category:State symbols of the Kingdom of Bahrain]]		[[Category:State symbols of the Kingdom of Bahrain]]
	[[Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent]]		[[Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent]]

172.69.79.185: /* External links */

2022-12-22T16:33:20Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:03, 22 December 2022
Line 63:		Line 63:
	[[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]		[[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]
	[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]		[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]
			[[Category:Provincial symbols of Rajputana Praant (India)]]
	[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]		[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]

172.71.178.167: /* External links */

2022-10-07T18:52:52Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:22, 8 October 2022
Line 59:		Line 59:
	[[Category:Drought-tolerant trees]]		[[Category:Drought-tolerant trees]]
	[[Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula]]		[[Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula]]
			[[Category:State symbols of the Kingdom of Bahrain]]
	[[Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent]]		[[Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent]]
	[[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]		[[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]
	[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]		[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]
	[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]		[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]

WikiDwarfBOT: robot: create new article

2022-10-06T09:00:17Z

robot: create new article

New page

{{Short description|Species of legume}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2022}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Khejri.jpg
| image_caption =
| genus = Prosopis
| species = cineraria
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L]].) [[George Claridge Druce|Druce]]
| synonyms = ''Adenanthera aculeata'' Roxb.<ref name="LIFE">{{cite web|url=http://www.catalogueoflife.org/details/species/id/583159 |title=''Prosopis cineraria'' (L.) Druce |work=Catalogue of Life |publisher=Integrated Taxonomic Information System and Species2000 |date=2012-03-15 |access-date=2012-03-21}}</ref> 
''[[Mimosa]] cineraria'' L. 
''Prosopis spicigera'' L.<ref name="GRIN">{{GRIN | access-date=2009-12-31}}</ref> 
''Prosopis spicata'' Burm.<ref name="LIFE"/>|
}}

'''''Prosopis cineraria''''', also known as '''ghaf''', is a species of [[Flowering plant|flowering]] [[tree]] in the [[pea]] family, [[Fabaceae]]. It is native to [[arid]] portions of [[Western Asia]] and the [[Indian Subcontinent]], including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Its leaves are shattered and stripy along its branch. It can survive extreme drought. It is an established [[introduced species]] in parts of [[Southeast Asia]], including [[Indonesia]].<ref name="LIFE"/>

The ʿGhaf is the national tree of the [[United Arab Emirates]]. Through the ''Give a Ghaf campaign'' its citizens are urged to plant it in their gardens to combat [[desertification]] and to preserve their country's heritage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.7daysindubai.com/UAE-groups-help-save-ghaf-trees-Combat/story-19300102-detail/story.html|title=UAE groups help to save ghaf trees on UN 'Combat Desertification Day'|last=Philp|first=Myra|date=2013-06-17|newspaper=7DAYS in Dubai|access-date=2018-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012075247/http://www.7daysindubai.com/UAE-groups-help-save-ghaf-trees-Combat/story-19300102-detail/story.html|archive-date=2013-10-12|url-status=dead|publisher=Al Sidra Media}}</ref> The desert village of [[Nazwa]] in the UAE is home to the Al Ghaf Conservation Reserve.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/six-natural-reserves-declared-in-dubai-1.247444|title=Six natural reserves declared in Dubai|work=The National|access-date=2018-09-09|language=en}}</ref>

''Prosopis cineraria'' is also the state tree of [[Rajasthan]] (where it is known as '''Khejri'''), [[Western Uttar Pradesh]] (where it is known as '''Chhonkara''') and [[Telangana]] (where it is known as '''''Jammi''''' <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/What%E2%80%99s-common-to-jinka-paalapitta-jammi-chettu-and-thangedu-puvvu/article11013542.ece|title=What's common to jinka, paalapitta, jammi chettu and thangedu puvvu?|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-10-20|language=en}}</ref> ) in India. A large and well-known example of the species is the [[Tree of Life, Bahrain|Tree of Life]] in Bahrain – approximately 400 years old and growing in a desert devoid of any obvious sources of water.

In 1730 AD, the village of Khejarli near [[Jodhpur]] in Rajasthan was the scene of a violent environmental confrontation. Amrita Devi and her three young daughters gave their lives in an attempt to protect some Khejri trees which [[Maharaja Abhay Singh]] had ordered cut to make way for his new palace. This led to widespread defiance in which 363 people were killed trying to save the trees. In the 1970s, the memory of this sacrifice led to the start of the [[Chipko movement]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/khejri-the-tree-that-inspired-chipko-movement-is-dying-a-slow-death-4409701/|title = Khejri, the tree that inspired Chipko movement, is dying a slow death|date = 4 December 2016}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Vanni maram branch.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Prosopis cineraria Branch]]''P. cineraria'' is a small tree, ranging in height from {{convert|3–5|m|abbr=on}}. The leaves are bipinnate, with seven to fourteen leaflets on each of one to three pinnae. Branches are thorned along the internodes. Flowers are small and creamy-yellow, and followed by seeds in pods. The tree is found in extremely arid conditions, with rainfall as low as {{convert|15|cm|abbr=on}} annually; but is indicative of the presence of a deep water table. As with some other ''Prosopis'' spp., ''P. cineraria'' has demonstrated a tolerance of highly alkaline and saline environments.<ref name="FAO">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Gbase/DATA/PF000371.HTM |title=''Prosopis cineraria'' (L.) Druce |work=Tropical Forages |publisher=Centre for International Agriculture Research and Food and Agriculture Agency |year=2005 |access-date=2012-03-21}}</ref>

The tree should not be confused with the similar looking Chinese lantern tree, ''[[Dichrostachys cinerea]]''. They can be told apart by the flowers. While the Chinese lantern tree has bicolored pink-yellow flowers, the true Shami tree has yellow-colored bristled flowers only, like most other [[mesquite]]s.{{fact|date=May 2022}}

==Religious significance==
This tree is highly revered among Hindus and worshiped as part of [[Vijayadashami|Dusshera]] festival.<ref>{{cite journal |first=S.M. |last=Edwards |title=Tree-worship in India |journal=Empire Forestry Journal |date=March 1922 |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=78–86 |jstor=42594479}}</ref> This tree takes importance during the tenth day of the [[Dasara Festival]], when it is celebrated in various parts of India. Historically, among the [[Rajput]]s, the ranas – who were the high priest and the king – used to conduct the worship and then to liberate a jay which was the sacred bird of Lord Rama.<ref name=Crooke1915>{{cite journal |first=W. |last=Crooke |title=The Dasahra: An Autumn festival of Hindus |journal=Folklore |year=1915 |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=28–59 |doi=10.1080/0015587X.1915.9719701 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1429971 }}</ref>{{rp|29–30}}<ref name="MANEKA">{{cite book |last1=Gandhi |first1=Maneka |last2=Singh |first2=Yasmeen |title=Brahma's hair – Mythology of Indian plants |url=https://archive.org/details/brahmashaironmyt00gand |url-access=limited |year=1989 |publisher=Rupa & Co. |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-7167-005-5 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/brahmashaironmyt00gand/page/n61 29]–32}}</ref> In the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], as part of the tenth day ritual of [[Dussahera]], the marathas used to shoot arrows onto the crown of the tree and gather the falling leaves into their turbans.<ref name=Crooke1915/>{{rp|36–37}}<ref name="MANEKA"/>

The tree is known by different names across the western and northern regions of India, e.g. Shami in [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Maharastra]] & [[Uttar Pradesh]], Jammi in [[Telangana]] & [[Andhra Pradesh]], Khijro in [[Gujarat]], Khejri in Rajasthan, Janti in [[Haryana]], and Jand in the [[Punjab]].{{fact|date=May 2022}}

In [[Karnataka]], ''[[Acacia ferruginea]]'' has also been locally referred to as ''Banni mara'' instead of the accepted Khejri tree, and erroneously accepted as the tree where the Pandavas hid their weapons during exile.<ref>{{cite news |author=Babu N.M. Ganesh |title=Tree that hid Pandavas' weapons when they were in exile |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/may/02/tree-that-hid-pandavas-weapons-when-they-were-in-exile-1600285.html |newspaper=The New Indian Express |date=2017-05-02 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> There are also some unconfirmed references which consider ''Acacia ferruginea'' as the tree which is revered and worshiped on [[Vijay Dashami day]].<ref>{{cite book |author=S.G. Neginhal |title=Forest Trees of the Western Ghats |year=2011 |publisher=S.G. Neginhal |isbn=9789350671733 |page=133}}</ref> However, according to historical references, ''Prosopis cineraria'' is the tree which is known as the ''Banni mara''<ref name="MYSOREDASARA">{{cite book |author=S. Sivapriyananda |title=Mysore Royal Dasara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DVkyFvZL_qMC |year=1995 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |pages=51, 55}}</ref><ref name="MYSORE TRIBES">{{cite book |author1=L. Krishna Anantha Krishna Iyer (Diwan Bahadur) |author2=Nanjundayya Hebbalalu Velpanuru (Diwan Bahadur) |author3=H.V. Nanjundayya |title=The Mysore tribes and castes |year=1935 |publisher=Mysore University |page=68 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4SmRnQEACAAJ&q=Mysore+tribes+and+castes+volume+2}}</ref><ref name="CAMPHOR">{{cite book |last=Fuller |first=Christopher John |title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and society in India |year=2004 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0691120485 |page=121 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Claus |first1=Peter |last2=Diamond |first2=Sarah |last3=Mills |first3=Margaret |title=South Asian Folklore: An encyclopedia |series=Special Reference |year=2003 |isbn=978-0415939195 |page=536 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ienxrTPHzzwC}}</ref><ref name="MYSORE CITY">{{cite book |author-last=Parsons |author-first=Constance |title=Mysore City |year=1930 |editor-last=Milford |editor-first=Humphery |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/MysoreCity1930/page/n255 184] |url=https://archive.org/details/MysoreCity1930}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society |journal=Mythic Society |year=1941 |volume=32 |issue=1 |page=309 |url=https://archive.org/details/TheQuarterlyJournalOfTheMythicSociety}}</ref><ref name="BANNIMANTAP">{{cite news |last=Milton |first=Lawrence |title=Why Dasara procession culminates at Bannimantap |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysuru/Why-Dasara-procession-culminates-at-Bannimantap/articleshow/16897375.cms |newspaper=Times of India}}</ref><ref name="CASTES AND TRIBES">{{cite book |author1=Thurston, Edgar |author2=K. Rangachari |title=Castes and Tribes of Southern India |url=https://archive.org/details/castestribesofso01thuruoft |year=1909 |page=[https://archive.org/details/castestribesofso01thuruoft/page/147 147]|publisher=Madras Government Press }}</ref> and is also the tree which holds a special place in the Mysore Dasara where its worshiped on the Vijay-dashami day.<ref name="MYSOREDASARA" /><ref name="MYSORE TRIBES" /><ref name="CAMPHOR" /><ref name="MYSORE CITY" /><ref name="BANNIMANTAP" /><ref>{{cite book |author=Smaranananda Swami |title=Prabuddha Bharata: Or awakened India |year=2001 |volume=106 |page=49 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLkoAAAAYAAJ&q=mysore+dasara+prabuddha}}</ref><ref name="PRABUDDHA BHARATA">{{cite web |author=Bharata Prabuddha |title=Mysore Dasara - a living tradition |url=http://www.esamskriti.com/html/inside.asp?cat=441&subcat=440&cname=mysodasa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307104723/http://www.esamskriti.com/html/inside.asp?cat=441&subcat=440&cname=mysodasa |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-03-07 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas spent their thirteenth year of exile in disguise in the kingdom of Virata. Before going to Virata, they hung their celestial weapons in this tree for safekeeping for a year. When they returned after a year, they found their weapons safe in the branches of the Shami tree. Before taking the weapons, they worshipped the tree and thanked it for keeping their weapons safe.<ref name="SACRED PLANTS OF INDIA">{{cite book |author1=Krishna Nanditha |author2=M. Amirthalingam |title=Sacred Plants of India |year=2014 |publisher=Penguin books India |isbn=9780143066262 |pages=171–175 |edition=1st}}</ref><ref name="MANEKA" /><ref name="CASTES AND TRIBES" /><ref name="MYSOREDASARA"/><ref name="BANNIMANTAP" /><ref name="PRABUDDHA BHARATA" />

==Culinary uses==
<gallery>
File:Singhrian ji Bhaaji.jpg|alt=Singhrian ji Bhaaji prepared in Tanay:The Great, Sindh|''Singhrian ji [[Curry|Bhaaji]]'' prepared in [[Tharparkar]], [[Sindh]]
File:Singhrian jo Raabro(Khaatiyo).jpg|alt=Popular Thari dish Singhrian jo Raabro(Khaatiyo)|Popular [[Tharparkar|Thari]] dish ''Singhrian jo [[Kadhi|Raabro (Khaatiyo)]]''
</gallery>In [[Thar Desert|Thar desert]] the Singhri or Sangri pods growing on ''Prosopis cineraria'' is used in various types of [[Curry|Bhaaji]] and [[Kadhi]]. Singhri is one of the traditional [[Cuisine|cuisines]] of the Thar Desert<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/money-matters/118413-Bountiful-desert|title=Bountiful desert|last=Khaskheli|first=Jan|website=www.thenews.com.pk|language=en|access-date=2019-09-20}}</ref>

==Medical use==
Extract from unripe fruit pods of the plant was shown to ameliorate artificially-induced damage to testes in an animal model.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ramalingam S |first1=Logeshwaran |last2=Vellapandian |first2=Chitra |last3=R Vetrivelan |first3=Venkataramanan |last4=Sukumaran |first4=Evelyn Sharon |title=Un-riped[sic] fruit pods of Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce ameliorates Cisplatin therapy-induced partial testicular atrophy in male Wistar rats |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |date=October 2020 |volume=261 |pages=113070 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2020.113070 |pmid=32585233 |s2cid=220075154 }}</ref>
Leaves of this tree can ameliorate mouth ulcers. By chewing it's leaves for few minutes and letting the juice of leaves in the mouth, remedies the ulcers. The swelling comes down significantly. Afterwards spit the juice out and brush ur teeth.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020928/windows/main2.htm The wonders of the ‘wonder tree’], ''Tribune India''
* [http://www.goumbook.com/give-a-ghaf Meet the Ghaf Tree]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1136117}}

[[Category:Prosopis|cineraria]]
[[Category:Drought-tolerant trees]]
[[Category:Flora of the Arabian Peninsula]]
[[Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent]]
[[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1914]]
[[Category:Symbols of Rajasthan]]