raman
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Large, handsome and spreading, the Rain Tree is easily recognised by its
umbrella like canopy of evergreen, feathery foliage and puffs of pink
flowers. It is frequently planted in groups or as an avenue because of
its ability to keep its symmetrical conformation in spite of prevailing
winds. It is a tree of rapid growth, brought originally from Central
America to Sri Lanka and forwarded from there because it was considered
to be a tree of great value for railway fuel. It often reaches a height
of 27 m. and the strong, spreading branches may be nearly as long. The
bark is dark grey, often bearing horizontal weals and the trunk
frequently branches quite low down. From March to May and again towards
the end of the year the green canopy is dotted all over with pink and
white. During the rest of the year, too, there are usually quite a few
flowers to be seen. The flowers appear like round, silken tufts, but
actually each flower stalk bears one central and a surrounding circlet
of florets, up to twenty in number. Each has a tube-shaped calyx and a
tiny, yellow-lobed, crimson trumpet; bunches of long stamens, half pink
and half white, protrude from each. The long, heavy leaves are twice
pinnate and each pinna, of which there are four to eight pairs, bears
from three to seven pairs of leaflets. These are oval and have no
stalks, becoming larger and more curved towards the end. on its
thickened base so that the leaves all lie sideways. In Malaysia this
drooping of the leaves is considered to portend rain and is the
explanation of the name Rain Tree, Hujan-hujan meaning "rain", but in
India it is believed that the name was given because of a curious habit
possessed by the tree of intermittently spraying the ground beneath with
moisture. Later it was discovered that this was caused by multitudinous
minute insects. The fruit is a fleshy pod, sweet to the taste and much
relished by squirrels, horses and cattle
Raman
Rain Tree - Tender Fruit.jpg