Some extracts from Wikipedia link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna
*Henna* or *Hina* (*Lawsonia inermis*, syn.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synonymy> *L. alba*) is a flowering plant<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant>, the sole species in the genus *Lawsonia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsonia_(plant_genus)> * in the family Lythraceae <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lythraceae>. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa>, southern Asia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asia>, and northern Australasia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasia> in semi-arid zones. Henna is a tall shrub or small tree, 2–6 m high. It is glabrous, multibranched with spine tipped branchlets. Leaves are opposite, entire, glabrous, sub-sessile, elliptical, and broadly lanceolate (1.5–5.0 cm x 0.5–2 cm), acuminate, having depressed veins on the dorsal surface. During the onset of precipitation intervals, the plant grows rapidly; putting out new shoots, then growth slows. The leaves gradually yellow and fall during prolonged dry or cool intervals. Henna flowers have four sepals<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepal>and a 2 mm calyx tube with 3 mm spread lobes. Petals are obvate<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Obvate&action=edit&redlink=1>, white or red stamens inserted in pairs on the rim of the calyx tube. Ovary is four celled, style up to 5 mm long and erect. Fruits are small, brownish capsules, 4–8 mm in diameter, with 32–49 seeds per fruit, and open irregularly into four splits.[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna#cite_note-0> Lawsone <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsone> content in leaves is negatively associated with the number of seeds in the fruits.[2]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna#cite_note-1> Henna, *Lawsonia inermis*, produces a red-orange dye molecule, lawsone<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsone>. This molecule has an affinity for bonding with protein, and thus has been used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool. Henna's indigenous zone is the tropical savannah and tropical arid zone, in latitudes between 15° and 25° N and S from Africa to the western Pacific rim, and produces highest dye content in temperatures between 35°C and 45°C. It does not thrive where minimum temperatures are below 11°C. Temperatures below 5°C will kill the henna plant. The dye molecule, lawsone<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsone>, is primarily concentrated in the leaves, and is in the highest levels in the petioles of the leaf. Products sold as "black henna" or "neutral henna" are not made from henna, but may be derived from indigo<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo>(in the plant *Indigofera tinctoria <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigofera_tinctoria>*) or *Cassia obovata <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassia_obovata>*, and may contain unlisted dyes and chemicals.[3]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna#cite_note-2> Henna is commercially cultivated in western India<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India>, Pakistan <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan>, Morocco<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco>, Yemen <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemen>, Iran<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran>, Afghanistan <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan>, Somalia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia>, Sudan <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan>, Libya<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libya>, Egypt <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt>, and Bangladesh<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh>. Presently the Pali district of Rajasthan is the most heavily cultivated henna production area in India, with over 100 henna processors operating in Sojat City. Though henna has been used for body art and hair dye since the Bronze Age, henna has had a recent renaissance in body art due to improvements in cultivation, processing, and the diasporas of people from traditional henna using regions. [4] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna#cite_note-3> The word "henna" comes from the Arabic name for *Lawsonia inermis*, pronounced /ħinnaːʔ/ or colloquially /ħinna/. In the Indian subcontinent, there are many variant words such as Mehndi<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehndi>in North India <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_India>, Pakistan<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan>and Bangladesh <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh>. In Telugu (India, Malaysia, USA), it is known as *Gorintaaku*. In Tamil (South India, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka) it is called "Marudhaani" and is used as ground fresh leaves rather than as dried powder. It is used in various festivals and celebrations. The paste is left on the skin from a few hours to overnight and the stain can last a few days to a month depending on the quality of the paste, individual skin type and how long the paste is allowed to stay on the skin. 2009/3/28 Saurabh Sawant <[email protected]> > I would second that.. > > Regards, > Saurabh > > On Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 12:39 AM, Dinesh Valke <[email protected]>wrote: > >> ... I think *Lawsonia inermis*, the henna plant. >> Regards. >> >> >> >> >> On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 11:30 PM, ruh <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> request for id. >>> tnks. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > > > -- > Regards, > Saurabh Sawant > _ > "The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground." > > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
