Oroxylum indicum
species of tree
Oroxylum indicum is a species of flowering plant, in the monotypic genus Oroxylum in the family Bignoniaceae. It is commonly called Indian trumpet tree, oroxylum, Indian trumpet flower, broken bones, scythe tree, tree of Damocles, or midnight horror. It can reach a height of 18 metres (59 ft). Various segments of the tree are used in traditional medicine.
Taxonomy
Genetic analysis suggests the closest relative of Oroxylum is the genus Millingtonia; this pair of genera are then probably next most closely related to a clade containing Catalpa and Chilopsis.
Etymology
Its genus name Oroxylum comes from Greek words ὄρος oros 'mountain' and ξύλον xylon 'wood', and its epithet means "from India".
Description
The tree grows up to 27 m (89 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) with grey bark. A mature tree has few branches growing large pinnate leaves, which are the largest of all dicot tree leaves. The blade, or lamina can be as much as 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) long by 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) wide. Each leaf stalk, or petiole, is up to 2 m (6.6 ft) long comprising four pinnate branches, each branch is approximately 1 m (3.3 ft) in length and comparably wide, borne on petioles or stalks.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Oroxylum indicum” as species of tree. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of tree. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Oct 30, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q3245941. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Oroxylum indicum”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Oroxylum indicum primary sources, Oroxylum indicum archive and Oroxylum research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Oroxylum indicum”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Oroxylum indicum” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.