Cajanus cajan

Scientific name: Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Family: Fabaceae

Synonym: Cajanus indicus Spreng.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Arhar, Tur (Bengali); Aral (Noakhali).

Tribal name: Dumursumi, Heankhrung, Fang khung bang (Chakma); Khengsu (Chak); Mendu (Garo); Flying (Murang); Piang kong (Marma); Koklang (Pangkhoa); Hayanko, Pee-sang-khru (Rakhaing); Khok-leng-rokhai, Santai (Tripura).

English name: Pigeon pea, Red gram, Cajanus pea.

Description of the plant: An erect bushy shrub up to 3 m high much branched. Leaves pinnately trifoliate, leaflets elliptic-lanceolate, acute, densely silky beneath. Flowers yellow, in loose corymbose racemes or forming a terminal panicle; corolla three times the calyx; standard yellow or veined with red. Fruit a pod, linear-oblong, inflated, beaked yelow or green, striped with maroon or purplish-black, straight, pubescent and gladular, dehiscent, 3-6 seeded. Seeds rounded, compressed, brown when dry.

Plant parts used: Leaf.

Medicinal uses: Decoction of leaves is taken for the treatment of asthma and piles.

Leaf juice is taken to treat jaundice.

Distribution: It is widely cultivated throughout Bangladesh.

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