Digital Garden

Butea monosperma

Dhak

Scientific Name: Butea monosperma

Common Name: Dhak

Scientific name- Butea monosperma

Common name- Bastard peak, Dhak, Tesu, Kimsuka, Raktapuspaka, Kulekhara, Kesudo, Khakharo, Khakhapado, Muttug, Muttuga, Muttala, Plasu, Camata, Plas, Chama Tha, Purasu, Paras, Moduga, Modugu, Chettu, Palaspapda

Family- Leguminosae-Papilioneae

Habit type- Tree  

Geographical Distribution and common information- It grows throughout the Indian sub-continent, especially in Indo-Gangetic plains. It is said that the tree is a form of Agnidev, God of Fire1. It was a punishment given to Him by Goddess Parvati for disturbing her and Lord Shiva’s privacy. This tree gets up to 50 ft high, with stunning flower clusters. It loses its leaves as the flowers develop. 

Leaves : Trifoliate petiole 7.5-20 cm long with small stipules; leaflets more or less leathery, lateral ones obliquely ovate, terminal one rhomboidobovate, 12-27 x 10-26 cm, obtuse, rounded or emarginate at apex, rounded to cuneate at base, with 7-8 pairs of lateral veins, stipellate.

Flowers : In racemes, 5-40 cm long, near the top on usually leafless branchlets; calyx with campanulate tube and 4 short lobes; corolla 5-7 cm long, standard, wings and keel recurved, all about the same length, bright orange-red, more rarely yellow, very densely pubescent.

Fruits : Fruit an indehiscent pod, stalked, covered with short brown hairs, pale yellowish-brown or grey when ripe, in the lower part flat, with a single seed near the apex. Seed ellipsoid, flattened, about 3 cm long. 

Different Usage: 

Medicinal : It is a potent medicinal plant that is endowed with innumerable beneficial qualities, as stated in the Ayurvedic texts of Sushruta Samhita, Charaka Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya. These include hepatoprotective, antifungal, laxative, astringent, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anthelmintic, anti-diabetic, anti-stress, and antioxidant properties. The leaves and petals of palash have astringent, aphrodisiac, diuretic, and aphrodisiac properties. They also stimulate the flow of blood in the pelvis. The tree's seeds have anthelmintic, or anti-parasitic, qualities and are purgative and diuretic, which increases urine production. When intestinal parasites are present, the seed powder is utilized. The bark of palash trees produces kino, a gum with astringent qualities that can be used to cure hemorrhoids.

Agroforestry: An important part of sustainable land management systems, especially in regions that are prone to drought and degraded soils, this valuable agroforestry species is mainly used for soil erosion control, fuelwood, dye extraction from its flowers, fodder production (young leaves for livestock), and as a host plant for lac insects. In certain cultures, its leaves are even used as disposable plates. 

Ecological: Butea has a significant effect on rhizosphere soil’s biological properties. Microbial biomass, as well as its activity in the rhizosphere has a great ecological significance due to the role played by microorganisms in nutrient cycling. In this study, the rhizospheric zone of Butea shows a significant changes in soil pH, microbial biomass, carbon and enzyme (dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase) activities which concludes that it can be used as a potential tree species for growth.