Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
m after about 10 years, with maximum planting of 250 trees/ha. Once established, a field needs little
care. Intercropping is common and may be done the first few years, with cotton, peanut, or yams.
Fruits are produced after 3 years, during which lower branches and suckers are removed. Full pro-
duction is attained by the 10th year, and a tree continues to bear until it is about 30 years old. In dry
areas, such as Tanzania, flowering occurs in the dry season, and fruits mature in 2-3 months. Flowers
and fruits in various degrees of development are often present in the same panicle. From the flower-
ing stage to ripe fruit requires about 3 months. Mature fruit falls to the ground, where the “apple”
dries away. In wet weather, they are gathered each day and dried for 1-3 days. Mechanical means for
shelling have been unsuccessful, so hand labor is required. Cashews are usually roasted in the shell
(to make it brittle and the oil less blistering), cracked, and the nuts removed and vacuum packed.
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ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA
Botanical Name —
Andrographis paniculata
( Bu r m.f.) Nees
Synonym —
Andrographis paniculata
var.
glandulosa
Trimen
Family —
Acanthaceae
Common Names —
Andrographis, green chirayta, creat, king of bitters, India echinacea,
Kalmegh or Kalamegha
Description —
Andrographis paniculata
is is an erect herb that grows to a height of 30-110 cm.
The slender stem is dark green, squared in cross section with longitudinal furrows and wings along
the angles. The lance-shaped leaves have hairless blades measuring up to 8 cm long by 2.5 wide.
The small flowers are borne in spreading racemes. The fruit is a capsule around 2 cm long and a few
millimeters wide. It contains many yellow-brown seeds (Wikipedia).
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Habitat and Distribution —
A. paniculata
is often found in moist, shady places in a variety of
habitats, such as plains, hillsides, coastlines, and disturbed and cultivated areas such as roadsides,
farms, and wastelands. Native populations of
A. paniculata
are spread throughout Asia, especially
