Fabaceae - Mimosoideae - Bangalore - RA - Parkia biglandulosa - Badminton Ball Tree

[raman]

African locust tree is a tall handsome tree, native of W. Africa. Large trees are frequently found in old Mahomedan gardens about the city of Hyderabad, Golconda and elsewhere. The farinaceous pulp which surrounds the seeds is edible and so also are the seeds themselves, which taste like garlic. For most part of the year, this tree is very easily confused with Delonix or Jacaranda species. It is only during December-January, appearance of tennis-ball shaped fluffy flower heads makes one realise that this tree has to be Parkia! In the winter season, 1½ - 2 ft branches, hanging from the leaf axil, bear rust coloured bead-like flower heads, which gradually gain size of a tennis ball - and the "flowers" bloom to spectacular white electric bulbs! The flowers in round white heads are prominent, hence the native name 'Chendul' , or ball. Leaves bipinnate with very numerous leaflets; rachis of leaf downy, 1 ft. of more long; pinnae 20-30 pair, 60 to 100 pairs leaflets, rigid, 1/4 in. long. Presence of two glands at the base of leaf, lends this species the name, biglandulosa. It is an avenue tree in Chennai. This can grow into a large tree indeed with many spreading branches. The leaves are fine and feathery. The inflorescence is similar to a Badminton Ball hanging at the tip of a long thick stalk - the reason for its common name. The fruits that are flat are in clusters at the tip of long thick stalks. Known to grow quite fast. The entire inflorescence has a very soft appearance. However, once the flower is dry the core is pretty hard. Please do not even for fun try flinging it at any one. It really hurts!

Raman

[raman]

Raman

[prasad dash]

Waoooooooooooooo. simple great photography Raman Ji

Regards

prasad

On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 10:38 AM, raman <raman_ar...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Raman

--
Prasad Kumar Dash
Ecologist, Orissa, India
email: prasad....@gmail.com
ph. 09437444241

[Gurcharan Singh]

Another good set of photographs

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Vijayasankar]

Very nice pictures!

 

Regards 

 

Vijayasankar Raman
National Center for Natural Products Research
University of Mississippi

[Madhuri Raut]

Simply great pictures. esp the flower. Thanks for sharing

--

Regards

Dr.Bhagyashri Ranade

[Rathinasabapathy Bhuvaragasamy]

Raman Ji. Nice and complete set of pictures.

On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 10:37 AM, raman <raman_ar...@yahoo.com> wrote:

African locust tree is a tall handsome tree, native of W. Africa. Large trees are frequently found in old Mahomedan gardens about the city of Hyderabad, Golconda and elsewhere. The farinaceous pulp which surrounds the seeds is edible and so also are the seeds themselves, which taste like garlic. For most part of the year, this tree is very easily confused with Delonix or Jacaranda species. It is only during December-January, appearance of tennis-ball shaped fluffy flower heads makes one realise that this tree has to be Parkia! In the winter season, 1½ - 2 ft branches, hanging from the leaf axil, bear rust coloured bead-like flower heads, which gradually gain size of a tennis ball - and the "flowers" bloom to spectacular white electric bulbs! The flowers in round white heads are prominent, hence the native name 'Chendul' , or ball. Leaves bipinnate with very numerous leaflets; rachis of leaf downy, 1 ft. of more long; pinnae 20-30 pair, 60 to 100 pairs leaflets, rigid, 1/4 in. long. Presence of two glands at the base of leaf, lends this species the name, biglandulosa. It is an avenue tree in Chennai. This can grow into a large tree indeed with many spreading branches. The leaves are fine and feathery. The inflorescence is similar to a Badminton Ball hanging at the tip of a long thick stalk - the reason for its common name. The fruits that are flat are in clusters at the tip of long thick stalks. Known to grow quite fast. The entire inflorescence has a very soft appearance. However, once the flower is dry the core is pretty hard. Please do not even for fun try flinging it at any one. It really hurts!

Raman

--
B. Rathinasabapathy
Project Co-ordinator
Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park
1388, Avinashi Road
Peelamedu
Coimbatore-641004

[Ushadi micromini]

Very Nice, Raman...
you do have a knack for finding the most unusual trees...
love it
usha di

=========

On Jan 3, 8:53 am, Rathinasabapathy Bhuvaragasamy <brspa...@gmail.com>
wrote:

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