Morphology, cultivation and use

1. Bixa orellana
Dr. Vasanta I. Kahalkar
Department of Botany
M. G. College, Armori

2. Bixa orellana
• Botanical Name : Bixa orellana
• Family : Bixaceae
• Local Name: Shendri
• Origin and Distribution :
The Bixa orellana which is indigenous to tropical
America and West Indies. It is now widely cultivated
many other of the tropics, especially Mexico, Brazil. In
India, it is reported to be grown to a small extent in
Karmataka and in some districts of Maharashtra, Assam
and Bengal. As an ornamental or for commercial seed
production i.e a source of natural dye.

3. Botanical Description
• B. orellana is commonly known as Annatto or
Lipstick Plant. Small evergreen tree, branched.
Leaves opposite, margin entire, acuminate
apex, cordate base. Flower bisexual, white,
inflorescence raceme. Stamen many. Fruit
spiny, many seeded. Seeds red coloured.

4. Botanical Description
Small Tree
Fruit
Seed
Flower

5. Cultivation
• The tree are propagated from seed. Seedling are
raised in nursery beds or in polythene bags. Seed
beds are well manure. The seed sowing time in most
of the region extend from first March to June. The
seedling are ready for transplantation in 10 to 12
month after sowing. The seedlings are transplanted
after 12 months in the field. The planting is
generally done in rainy season.
Seedlings are transplanted when they are 20 cm
tall. Pits of size 30 cm3 are dug in early June at a
spacing of 3.0 m x 3.0 m or 3 x 2.5 m spacing for
accommodating 1100 to 1200 plants per ha.

6. uses
• It is used natural dye in food industries.
• The contain about two percent vitamin A and
often used with rice by tropical people.
• The dye is also used for imparting colours to
soaps, paints, varnishes etc.

7. THANK YOU