LEGUME FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE) 



PEA SUBFAMILY (LOTOIDEAE; FABACEAE) 



89. Pterocarpus, India padauk 



An introduced liandsome ornamental, shade, 

 and timber tree, distinguished by: (1) a broad 

 crown of lonj; drooping branches, some nearly 

 touching the ground; (2) reddish latex sparingly 

 produced in the cut bark ; (3) pinnate leaves alter- 

 nate in 2 rows with usually 7-11 ovate, thin, shiny, 

 green to yellow-green alternate leaflets, long- 

 pointed at apex; (4) many showy, yellow pea- 

 shaped flowers nearly % inch long, produced in 

 lateral clusters; and (5) nearly round brown pod 

 11/4-1 V^ inches in diameter, flattened and bordered 

 by a broad thin wing, stalked at base and with 

 pointed style at 1 side. 



A spreading medium-sized tree 50 feet high and 

 1 foot in trunk diameter, or larger. Essentially 

 evergreen but nearly leafless for a short period in 

 spring when old leaves are falling and new leaves 

 forming. The bark is light brown and finely fis- 

 sured. Inner bark is light brown and reddish 

 brown streaked, astringent, and yielding a small 

 amount of red latex, sticky and bitter, when cut. 

 Twigs are green when young, becoming light 

 brown, hairless except at apex. 



The slightly drooping leaves about 9-16 inches 

 long have a slender green axis enlarged at base, 

 and tlie leaflets have stalks about 14 inch long. A 

 few short leaves have only 3-5 leaflets. Leaflet 

 blades are 21/4-5 inches long and li/4-2i/^ inches 

 wide, the edges not toothed, turned up a little at 

 midrib, shiny green to yellow green above and dull 

 green beneath. 



The fragrant flowers are bonie on slender green 

 stalks in clustere (racemes and panicles) 4-7 inches 

 long. The sliglitly irregular bell-shaped green 

 calyx is %6 i'^ch long, pointed at base and un- 

 equally 5-toothed at apex, and minutely hairy ; the 

 5 yellow petals %-% inch or less in length are 

 stalked at base, becoming crinkled, the rounded 

 standard % inch wide and rolled backward, 2 

 wings, and 2 smaller paler keel petals barely 

 united on sides; 10 stamens about % inch long, 



Pterocarpus indicus Willd.* 



united by the whitish filaments into 2 groups of 5 

 each; and gi-een hairy pistil ^e inch long, consist- 

 ing of stalked narrow ovary and tapering style. 



The winged pods have a roughened wrinkled en- 

 largement near the center enclosing 1 or 2 small 

 seeds but do not .split open. Flowering in June 

 and July and maturing fruits in summer to Sep- 

 tember. 



The reddish hard wood is an excellent timber in 

 southern xVsia, known as padauk or Burma-rose- 

 wood. It is listed among the most valuable timbers 

 in the Philippines, where it is called narra. Uses 

 include construction, furniture, musical instru- 

 ments, and cart wheals. 



Lignum nephriticum (Latin for kidneywood) 

 was the wood of this Philippine species and of kid- 

 neywood (Eysenhm'dtin polystachya (Ortega) 

 Sarg.) from Mexico. It was known throughout 

 Europe from the 16th to early 18th centuries for 

 its reputed diuretic properties but is no longer 

 employed in medicine. However, infusions of the 

 wood are fluorescent, and this odd response to light 

 may have been associated with remedies. Cups 

 made from the wood and chips of wood impart, to 

 water a beautiful blue and yellow color, which 

 changes in light and shadow. 



Classed among the finest, tropical shade trees, 

 this species is occasionally planted in Puerto Rico 

 for shade and ornament. Introduced by the 

 United States Forest Service in 1924, it is still 

 limited to a few streets and patios, chiefly in the 

 metropolitan areas. A honey plant. 



Range. — Philippines to Java, Sumatra, south- 

 ern China, Burma, and Andaman Isands of India 

 and introduced in southern India. Planted else- 

 where in the tropics for shade, such as in southern 

 Florida, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad. 



Other comsion names. — India padauk, Burma- 

 coast padauk, Burma-rosewood (English) ; ix)se- 

 wood (Trinidad). 



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