Local name: Vadhanarayanan
Common name: White Gul Mohur / Creamy Peacock flower
Botanical name: Delonix elata (L.) Gamble
Syn. Poinciana elata Linn.
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Distribution
In 1792 and 1799, it was introduced to the Botanical Garden of Calcutta. It is commonly found in Indo-China as an avenue tree and grows wildly in Arabia, Abyssinia, Africa, Madagascar and in India. It is perhaps indigenous in the Porbunder state. In South India, it is cultivated for green manure.
Description
- It is an erect tree with a smooth ash-coloured bark growing upto 15 to 30 ft. in height. Leaflets are small, membraneous and bipinnately arranged in the form of pairs along the ribs.
- Flowers are white and in raceme, growing in clusters at the end of the branches during the month of August to September.
- Pods are 5 to 7 inches long containing 4 to 8 seeds.
It grows fast and is easily raised from seeds even in poor dry soil or crevices of rocks.
Economic value
- the bark yields an unimportant gum.
- the leaves and twigs are used as manure.
- the wood is well suited for cabinet work.
Medicinal value
- the leaves are roasted in castor oil and applied externally to cure abscesses a decoction of the leaves with castor oil is consumed to cure diarrhoea
- a hot decoction of the leaves is applied externally to reduce pain and inflammation of the joints
Environmental value
It has been successfully used as a protection of the banks of rivers and to cause obstructions.
Mythology
There is a popular belief that touching the root of this tree removes the pain due to a scorpion sting.
M. Amirthalingam
C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre
Source: Eco News, Vol. 7, No. 1, April – June 2001
