Mehandi as called Henna

Mehandi as called Henna

    Henna is a tall shrub or small tree, standing 1.8 to 7.6 m tall (6 to 25 ft). It isglabrous and multi-branched, with spine-tipped branchlets. The leaves grow opposite each other on the stem. They are glabrous, sub-sessile,elliptical, and lanceolate(long and wider in the middle; average dimensions are 1.5–5.0 cm x 0.5–2 cm or 0.6–2 in x 0.2–0.8 in), acuminate(tapering to a long point), and have depressed veins on the dorsal surface.

    Henna flowers have foursepals and a 2 mm (0.079 in) calyx tube, with 3 mm (0.12 in) spread lobes. Its petals are obvate, with white or red stamensfound in pairs on the rim of the calyx tube. The ovary is four-celled, 5 mm (0.20 in) long, and erect. Henna fruits are small, brownish capsules, 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) in diameter, with 32–49 seeds per fruit, and open irregularly into four splits.

    The name Henna also refers to the dye prepared from the plant and the art of temporary body art (staining) based on those dyes. Henna has been used since antiquity to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wooland leather. The name is used in other skin and hair dyes, such as black hennaand neutral henna, neither of which is derived from the henna plant.

  Historically, henna was used for cosmetic purposes primarily in Ancient India. It was also found to be used in the Arabian Peninsula, Carthage and other parts of North Africa, and the Horn of Africa. Bridal henna nights remain an important custom in many of these areas, particularly among traditional families.