It is common knowledge that jewellery is typically composed of gold, silver, and diamonds, but there is one type of jewellery that is manufactured from a substance excreted by insects- Lac! Kusum tree is well known for being a host to the lac insect that produces this substance for making Lacquer jewellery.
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There are many multipurpose trees growing in the forests of India that serve as a valuable resource. They help farmers with their income and alleviate the economy. Though, they are yet to gain the recognition they deserve. One such tree is the Kusum tree. Botanically known as the ‘Schleichera oleosa’, it is commonly known as the lac tree, Ceylon oak and the Lac gum tree. Oil, animal feed and medical advantages are all possible uses for these trees.
Lacquer jewellery is a traditional Indian jewellery that is made from Lac, a coloured resinous wax like substance. It is excreted by the female insects of the species called ‘Kerria Lacca’ in the bark of trees like Kusum, Dhak and Ber; among which the Kusum tree is the most important host. The Lac grown on the Kusum tree is called Kusumi. This tree produces the light coloured good quality Lac that is in more demand in the industry and produces 35-38% of India’s total lac production.
One tree, many benefits
Kusum trees are a native of South east Asia, it is distributed throughout the foothills of Himalayas. In India it covers states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. It’s also cultivated in a few scattered places of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Apart from India, they grow in countries like Sri-Lanka, Thailand, Mayanmar, Nepal and Indonesia. These trees thrive in dry and mixed deciduous forests and grow well in rocky or loamy, slightly acidic soil that is well drained.
Kusum seeds are also a storehouse of oil. This oil is mainly used for hairdressing as it contains Macassar that promotes hair growth. It is also utilised for textile applications in the Batik industry. Kusum oil is used in Southern India for a cooling bath and for making soap, while the poor farmers use it in lamps.
Apart from that, the oil extracted from the seed has medical applications; it may be used externally to treat itching, acne, and other skin conditions. Furthermore, because the pressed oil cakes are high in nutrition and include carbohydrate and other minerals, they can be used as cattle feed. The fine powder obtained by crushing the seeds can be used as a maggot-preventative medication for cattle wounds.
The Kusum tree’s bark is packed with advantages; it produces dyes and tannins that can be used in small-scale industries such as the leather industry. The bark also contains anti-tumour compounds such as betulin and betulinic acid, which are medically important substances. The decoction obtained from the bark can be used to treat ulcers and skin inflammations and it is also considered to cure malaria because of its containment of astringent properties. The wood of the tree is a source of firewood and the hard heartwood is used in making axles, ploughs, cartwheels and other agricultural implements. The leaves and twigs are also used as fodder for cattle.
