Source Source

Dried flower buds of Dried flower buds of Eugenia Eugenia caryophylluscaryophyllus MyrtaceaeMyrtaceae

Cultivation – Requirements Cultivation – Requirements

• Deep Deep rich loamy soilsrich loamy soils with humid with humid climate is required climate is required

• Grow well in the Grow well in the vicinity of seavicinity of sea

• Plant grows to a ht ofPlant grows to a ht of 9mt9mt but they but they were usually topped atwere usually topped at 3mt 3mt for easy for easy collection collection

• They were also grown along with They were also grown along with areca nut , coconut & nutmeg plants areca nut , coconut & nutmeg plants

• Plants were provided with suitable Plants were provided with suitable fertilizers like fertilizers like super phosphate , super phosphate , ammonium sulphate & potashammonium sulphate & potash

Cultivation Cultivation • Raised from seeds ,spaced at intervals of Raised from seeds ,spaced at intervals of

25cm25cm apartapart• Protected from Sun by placing frames Protected from Sun by placing frames

erected about erected about 1mt above ground level1mt above ground level & & covered with banana leaves .As the leaves covered with banana leaves .As the leaves decay more Sun light is allowed decay more Sun light is allowed

• When about When about 9months9months old seedlings are old seedlings are able to bear full sunshineable to bear full sunshine

• When When 1mt ht1mt ht they are planted in the they are planted in the beginning of beginning of rainy season 6mt apartrainy season 6mt apart

• For the For the 11stst three years three years they were shaded they were shaded by growing banana trees among them by growing banana trees among them

• They begin to bear at They begin to bear at 66thth year year & yield 3-4 & yield 3-4 kilos / tree untill 70yrskilos / tree untill 70yrs

Collection Collection

• Compound racemeCompound raceme inflorescence with inflorescence with

opposite & decussate branches opposite & decussate branches

• Collected twice one inCollected twice one in Aug Aug & other in & other in Dec Dec

• Young flowers are white & become Young flowers are white & become green – crimson Collection starts green – crimson Collection starts when lower part turns from when lower part turns from green to green to crimsoncrimson & before the & before the corolla expands corolla expands

• Collected by hand or by beating with Collected by hand or by beating with bamboos or reached from moving bamboos or reached from moving platforms platforms

Drying Drying

• Dried in open by spreading on mats of Dried in open by spreading on mats of coconut leaves for 3 days or on concrete coconut leaves for 3 days or on concrete floors called floors called BarbecuesBarbecues ,during nights they ,during nights they are taken under shade are taken under shade

• During drying they loose 60% of their wt & During drying they loose 60% of their wt & become deep reddish brownbecome deep reddish brown

• Dried ones packed in sacks made of coconut Dried ones packed in sacks made of coconut leaves leaves

• Separated peduncles are known as Separated peduncles are known as clove clove stalksstalks

• If left too long on tree bud opens & petals fall If left too long on tree bud opens & petals fall leaving leaving Blown cloves Blown cloves

• Later fruits develops known as Later fruits develops known as Mother cloves Mother cloves

Description Description

• Stalk is called Stalk is called hypanthium hypanthium surmounted by 4 spreading acute surmounted by 4 spreading acute

sepals sepals domedome shaped corollashaped corolla with 4 with 4 bowl shaped bowl shaped petals & petals &

numerous numerous incurved sepals incurved sepals large erect cylindrical large erect cylindrical style style at the at the

base of base of which is a which is a nectar disc nectar disc • In the In the upper partupper part of hypanthium of hypanthium

bilocular bilocular ovary ovary with ovules on axile with ovules on axile placentation placentation

• Numerous Numerous oil glandsoil glands are present on are present on outer part of hypanthium & petals outer part of hypanthium & petals

Description Description

• Bright reddish brown colourBright reddish brown colour

• Strong spicy odour Strong spicy odour

• Taste is Pungent , aromatic & Taste is Pungent , aromatic & followed by numbness followed by numbness

• Oil exudes when pressed by nail Oil exudes when pressed by nail

Microscopy Microscopy • Epidermis Epidermis tubular cells tubular cells

with cuticle & stomatawith cuticle & stomata

• Cortex Cortex

oil gland layeroil gland layer schizogenous oil gland , schizogenous oil gland , lined with 2-3 layers flattened cells lined with 2-3 layers flattened cells

Vascular bundleVascular bundle bicollateral bicollateral

in parenchyma cells in parenchyma cells

also contain calcium oxalate cluster crystals also contain calcium oxalate cluster crystals

• Aerenchyma Aerenchyma air filled spaces air filled spaces

• Columella Columella parenchymatousparenchymatous

outer region contains vascular bundles outer region contains vascular bundles inner part calcium oxalate crystals inner part calcium oxalate crystals

Microscopy Microscopy

• Clove tissues do not contain Clove tissues do not contain sclereids and calcium oxalate , sclereids and calcium oxalate , prisms prisms

• But clove stalks contain But clove stalks contain lignified lignified sclereids , reticulately thickened sclereids , reticulately thickened xylem vessels xylem vessels

• Clove fruits contain Clove fruits contain starchstarch

Constituents Constituents

• Volatile oil Volatile oil 14 – 21%14 – 21%

• Tannin Tannin 10 – 13 %(gallatannic 10 – 13 %(gallatannic acid)acid)

• Caryophyllin Caryophyllin

• Glycoside of eugenol , isoeugenol , Glycoside of eugenol , isoeugenol , farnesol etcfarnesol etc

UsesUses

• Aromatic Aromatic stimulant stimulant

• SpiceSpice

• AntispasmodicAntispasmodic

• CarminativeCarminative

TestsTests

•50% caustic potash forms 50% caustic potash forms needle needle shaped crystals of pot.eugenateshaped crystals of pot.eugenate

•Bluish blackBluish black coloration with FeCl coloration with FeCl33 due to tannindue to tannin