Description

Habit : A medium-sized deciduous tree. Stem : Aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, solid, greyish-white and smooth bark in younger parts and blackish-brown and rough bark excorticating in irregular scales in older (black blotches on bark), 1-4 cm long spines arising from leaf axils, paired, straight, brown or dark red. Leaves : Bipinnate, 2.5-4.5 cm long; pinnae 4-10 pairs, 1.5-2.5 cm long, leaflets 12-30 pairs, 0.2-0.5 cm long, linear, oblong, glabrous. Inflorescence : Flowers in terminal panicles. Flowers : Flower heads creamy to pale yellow, complete, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite. Androecium consists of indefinite stamens, exserted. Fruits : Pods 10-17 cm long, 6-8 mm, flat, linear - oblong, slightly curved, yellowish-brown,tomentose. Seeds : 8-12,lodged in separate compartments, spherical, smooth, pale-brown. Flowering and Fruiting time : June - January. Significance : The bark is used as an astringent. The wood is used for fuel. The bark, flowers and pods are used as a black dye.

Location