Roktokombol or Circassian Tree, Adenanthera pavonina

-

Roktokombol or Circassian Tree (Adenanthera pavonina, family: Mimosaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with profuse branches, attaining a height of 20 m. Bark is grey or brownish. the fast-growing tree is found almost evreywhere in Bangladesh. The original home of the plant is South and Southeast Asia. It is easily recognizable due to its beauty of leaves and the exceptional characteristics of fruits and seeds.

Other names: Ronjon, Kuachondon, Kunchondon, Rokton (though there is a separate tree called Raktan in Bangla).

Leaves are compound, bipinnate, pinnae 4-6 pairs, 7-17 cm long, leaflets 12-20 pairs per pinnae, oblong, rhomboid.

Flowers are white or yellowish, fragrant, whrolled at the tip of capitulum, inflorescence 8-18 cm long. The flowers are white-colored but after some days these turn to yellow or orange. Flowers usually bloom in summer. Sometimes it is seen to bloom twice a year. 

Fruit is a pod, long, flat, 15-24 cm. Each pod contains 10 to 12 seeds. Seed is brilliant red, shiny, hard. When ripe, the pods take on spiral shape and then the seeds burst. At this time enthusiastic people are seen collecting the shiny red seeds from under the trees. These are edible. 

The plant is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Timber is strong, durable and suitable for making furniture. Crushed roots are effective in insect poisoning. Leaves are used in rheumatism. The roots are used as laxatives. Seeds are used in pneumonia. It is said that, if you soak the seeds in coconut oil, the oil will stays in good condition for a long time. The tree is usually planted under afforestation projects in Bangladesh.

The binominal names Adenanthera and Pavonina have come from the deciduous nature of the plant and the peacock tail-like bipinnate leaves respectively. By the by, seeing its blood-red seeds, many people mistakenly call it Raktachandan (Pterocarpus santalinus). Red sandalwood is a completely different tree.

Synonyms: Adenanthera gersenii, Adenanthera polita, Corallaria parvifolia

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Week Star

Parul or Fragrant padri tree, Stereospermum chelonoides

-
Image
Parul or Fragrant padri tree ( Stereospermum chelonoides , family: Bignoniaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with branches, attaining a height of 25 m. Young shoots are pubescent. Bark is grey.  About this flower, a kind of literary madness has been found for a long period of time among the Bengalees. Although it is mentioned numerous times in Bangla literature, the tree is quite difficult to find in Bangladesh.  The great news is, 5 of its trees are found in the courtyard of Bangladesh Security Printing Press School in Gajipur. India is the original home of the plant. Leaves are compound, 60 cm long; leaflets are entire, 5-11, deep green, glabrous, petioled, elliptic-oblong, 10-15 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers are sweet-scented, purplish, yellow at center, campunulate, 3-5 cm long, curved at the base and bronze in color, on terminal panicle; corolla tubular with short petals, petals 5. Flower buds are black a...
Read more

Makal or Mahakal, Trichosanthes tricuspidata

-
Image
Makal or Mahakal ( Trichosanthes tricuspidata , family: Cucurbitaceae) is a woody climber with tendril and branches, attaining a height of 10-12 m. The multiangular-branched plant climbs up very far by holding any tree in the forest. It is found in the hilly areas as well as plain forests and village thickets in Bangladesh. It is also found in Indian subcontinent, Australia and some countries of South and Southeast Asia.  According to ancient Sanskrit scriptures the other names of the plant are Bishala, Mohendro-baruni.  In the Himalayas it has been seen at an altitude of 5000 feet. There are many refferences to the fruit in Bangla and Sanskrit literature. Someone is very nice to look at but he/she is useless--writers usually jokingly give examples of this fruit. Its roots and attractive fruits are packed with medicinal properties.  The size and shape of leaves may vary. These are multilobed or trilobed, alternate, rough in both sides, 5-12 cm long,...
Read more

Kulekhara or Talmakhna, Hygrophila auriculata

-
Image
Kulekhara or Talmakhna ( Hygrophila auriculata , family: Acanthaceae) is a stout and erect herb with straight and undivided stem. The spiny plant is very popular as a medicinal plant in Bangladesh as well as the Indian subcontinent. Other names: Kulekkha, Kuiley-rekha,  Kanta kalika, Shoolmordon. Leaves are lanceolate, subsessile, acute at both ends with long whitish hairs, dense with straight and stout thorns that grow from each node. Outer leaves are longer than the inner ones. Both leaves and thorns remain in upward direction.   Flowers in axillary whorls. They are bright violet or bluish purple and red, sometimes whitish with soft and minor hair, corolla 2-lipped. Flower blooms in the winter. Fruit a capsule, 4-8-seeded. Seeds are ovoid (not in the pic). The body of the plant contains alkaloids, phytosterols, stigmasterol, lupeol and essential oils. Its seeds contain oil, enzymes and sterols. The plant is cooling and diuretic...
Read more