Cassia fistula L.

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Equisetopsida C. Agardh > Fabales > Fabaceae > Cassia > C. fistula

Description: A medium - large sized deciduous tree found all over the state ascending up to 2000 ft. Leaves compound, leaflets come in 5 pairs, opposite, oblong-broadly obovate, glabrous above, pubescent below, base sub acute, margin entire, apex gradually tapering. Flowers in terminal racemes, pedicel elongated. Petals 5, yellow, stamens 10, carpel one. Pod oblong, 1 - 2 ft. long, cylindrical, smooth. Seeds many, immersed in a dark brown pulp. During leaf less period flower occur covering all branches.

Flowering and Fruiting: Flowering - April to June, Fruiting - December to April

Uses: Wood used as fuel wood. The bark is made into a paste with turmeric powder and cumin and the juice is extracted and used to cure nausea and vomiting. The bark also yields an orange dye. Extensive overharvest of bark for trade took place in the past, and now collection of bark is banned. Flowers are in demand for festivals.

Cultivation: Cultivated as avenue trees.

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org