**Uses of Madhuca longifolia**:
– Cultivated in warm and humid regions for oleaginous seeds, flowers, and wood
– Seeds produce between 20 and 200kg annually per tree
– Fat used for skin care, soap, detergents, vegetable butter, and fuel oil
– Seed cakes are excellent fertilizer
– Flowers used to make alcoholic drink in tropical India
**Mahua Flowers**:
– Edible and used for medicinal syrup by tribals
– Rich in sugars, especially reducing sugars
– Fermented to make alcoholic drink ‘mahua’
– Essential drink for tribal celebrations
– Used to produce jam in Maharashtra
**Cultural and Historical Significance**:
– Mentioned in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist literature works
– Listed in Ayurveda Samhitas as a type of wine
– Described in the Mahānirvaņa Tantra
– Sacred tree in various South Indian temples
– Believed to be the sanctum tree of Thiruvalluvar shrine
– Associated with cultural heritage of tribal communities
**Mahua Oil**:
– Average oil content ranges from 32.92% to 57.53%
– Used in skin care, rheumatism, headache, constipation, and as biodiesel
– Contains emollient properties and essential elements
– Historically used as an illuminant and hair fixer
**Taxonomy and Additional Information**:
– Botanical names include Bassia longifolia, Madhuca indica, Illipe latifolia
– Varieties include M. longifolia var. latifolia and M. longifolia var. in Orissa
– Different views and aspects of M. longifolia var. latifolia documented in various regions
– Research studies on seed variability and elemental analysis
– Additional resources such as WWF India Mahua and a TEDx talk on indigenous food sources