Cassia fistula L.

Scientific Name: Cassia fistula L.

Family: Caesalpiniaceae

Common Name: Amaltas, Golden shower tree

Hindi Name: अमलतास

Description: Trees are deciduous up to 15 m tall. Leaves 30-40 cm, with 3 or 4 pairs of leaflets; leaflets adaxially shiny, broadly ovate or ovate-oblong, 4-8 cm, leathery, both surfaces puberu­lent when young, glabrous when mature, base broadly cuneate, apex acute. Racemes axillary, 20-40(-60) cm, lax, pendent, many flowered; flowers 3.5-4 cm in diameter, Pedicels 3-5 cm, slender. Sepals narrowly ovate, 1-1.5 cm, reflexed at anthesis. Petals golden yellow, broadly ovate, subequal, 2.5-3.5 cm, shortly clawed. Stamens 10, 3 long with curved filaments 3-4 cm, anthers ca. 5 mm, exceeding petals, 4 short with straight filaments 6-10 mm, reduced stamens with minute anthers. Ovary stalked, strigulose; stigma small. Legume pendulous, blackish brown, terete, sausage-shaped, indehiscent, 30-60 cm, 2-2.5 cm in diam. Seeds numerous, separated by papery septa, glossy brown, elliptic, flattened.

Economic Importance:

• Cassia fistula is widely planted as an ornamental, often along roads, and it provides a hard multipurpose timber.

• The bark is used for tanning and as an ingredient in betel paste.

Medicinal Importance:

Used in joint pain, migraine, chest pain and blood dysentery. Amaltas root is also useful in fever, heart diseases, retained excretions and biliousness. It is also used in cardiac disorders, rheumatic condition, haemorrhages, wounds, ulcers and boils and various skin diseases.

Religious Importance: 

People use the flowers as offerings at the temple and also hang them in their homes for the New Year in belief that the flowers will bring happiness and good luck to the households.