Lipstick Tree : Bixa Orellana

Recently i visited ICAR Research complex Barapani (Mehghalaya) . Indian Council Of Research Centre or ICAR provides an adequate base for supporting agricultural development in the North East Hilly Region of India. It covers all the fields of agriculture ,horticulture, agricultural engineering,agro forestry,animal sciences and fishery to cater to the research needs of NE region. I spent two good days in the complex guest house and had the oppurtunity to see the area in detail. I came across this interesting tree Bixa Orellana also nick named Lipstick tree. Let me share few things that i learnt about this tree.
(the first picture shows a split seed pod showing the seeds of the tree )

It is a shrub or a bushy tree ranging from 4 -10 mts in height.The plant bears pink flowers and bright red spiny fruits(inedible) which contain red seeds. The fruits dry and harden to brown capsules.Originally it comes from the tropical regions of America. It is called Achiote and is best known as the source of the natural pigment' Annatto ' produced from its fruits.It is used to color food products, such as cheeses, fish, and salad oil. Sold as a paste or powder for culinary use, mainly as a color.It is a very good natural alternative to synthetic food colorings. The workers working around the area told me that it is also used in Sindoor (vermilion) --- i am not very sure if this information is right . This tree is called Sindoori in Hindi.(the second picture shows a cluster of seed pods ).

The achiote has long been used by American Indians to make body paint, especially for the lips, which is the origin of the plant's nickname, lipstick tree .The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds, which contains Annatto (also called bixin). It can be extracted by stirring the seeds in water .( the picture above shows the tree ).Various indigenous groups paint their hair and bodies with the pulp to repel insects and protect from sunburn.The seeds are given to bulls to make them aggressive for bullfighters .
Some of its other common names around the world are as follows: “changuarica,” “k’u-zub,” and “pumacua” (Mexico), “annato” and “urucu” (Brazil), “urucum” (Germany), “roucou” (Dominica and the French West Indies), “achiot” (Colombia), and “arnotto” (Amerindian).

For more info click here .