Tamarind

Tamarind

Tamarindus indica

Beng: Tentul, Hindi: Imli

A very familiar large evergreen tree with a dense rounded canopy and tiny feather-compound leaves with minute leaflets. 6-8’’ pods dangle during the larger part of the year.

Bark: Dark grey, rough, with shallow fissures

Leaf: Feather compound, with tiny 10-20 pairs leaflets, elongated, almost stalkless leaflets are up to 1’’ long, biggest ones in the middle

Flower: Small, with 3 unequal-sized yellow petals veined with red. Flower cup has 4 creamy segments

Fruit: Beanlike pods bulging over the seeds up to 8’’ long green at first ripening to cinnamon-brown

Season: The new leaves usually appear in May, and are closely followed by the flowers, but the trees vary considerably in this respect and occasionally some trees may be seen putting forth its fresh leaves and flowers in September. The dark brown pods often hang on the tree till the flowers of the following season appear.

Range/habitat: The tree is a native of tropical (probably East) Africa, introduced to India millennia back, and has become naturalized.

Trivia and notes: The English name is derived from Arabic “Tamar E Hind” meaning "Indian date". The name was given by 2nd century Arab traders. Introduction from Africa to India is considered much earlier to this date, even back to Indus civilization by some source.

Where to find: In Rabindra sarobar has quite a few trees, the one in Picture is near the side closer to Menoka Cinema gate. GPS: 22.509808, 88.349711