Moreton bay chestnut / Blackbean Tree

Castanospermum australe

A mid-sized evergreen tree from Australian rainforests (where it is much taller), very rare in Kolkata, with dark green slightly stiff shiny feather compound leaves (4-8 pair with a terminal)

Leaves: Feather compound 1’ long, narrow, pointy dark green leaflets about 5’’ long from midrib, terminal one being smallest

Bark: Smooth, grey

Flower: Attractive, in red-orange-yellow combination, in clusters. Yellow in the beginning turns red individual flowers are like a pea flower.

Fruit: A fat pod up to 6’’ long contains 4-5 round black seeds (usually does not fruit in Kolkata)

Seasons: Flowers appear in Mid-March. New leaves also appear around same time.

Range/Habitat: From parts of tropical Australia with reasonable high rainfall

Trivia & Comments: Though introduce to Kolkata from British era, not a very successful tree here. as per Benthall writes (1946)

“It is occasionally planted in Calcutta but it is not very successful as a roadside tree in Bengal because it is liable to be damaged by the high winds which are so common in the province”

The one in Dhakuria lake somehow survived amphan (though with some damage)

Where to Find: Only one specimen in north eastern side of Rabindra sarovar, around 80 meters from the Dhakuria gate on the left / lake side. 22.51100N, 88.36418E