Albizia amara

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Albizia amara
Albizia amara(Roxb.)Bolvin..jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Albizia
Species:
A. amara
Binomial name
Albizia amara
(Roxb.) Boiv.
Synonyms [1]
  • Acacia wightii Wight & Arn
  • Mimosa amaraRoxb.
  • Mimosa pulchellaRoxb.
  • Acacia nellyrenzaWight & Arn.
  • Acacia amaraWilld.

Albizia amara is a tree in the family Fabaceae. Its range includes southern and Eastern Africa, from South Africa to Sudan and Ethiopia. It is also found in India and Sri Lanka. [2]

Contents

Description

Albizia amara is a mid-sized, deciduous tree which resembles acacia without the thorns. [3] The bark of the tree is grey in color and is grainy and scaly. [3] The leaves consist of up to 15 pairs of side stalks and the leaflets are tiny and can consist of about 15–35 pairs. [3] The flowers are whitish-yellow powder puffs with long stamens and golden pollen. [3] The pods are flat and are about 20 cm long. [3] The leaves thin out during February–March and are renewed in April. [3] The flowers are present throughout May and the fruits ripen during October and November. [3] It is a host plant for Achaea janata . [4]

Ecology

Albizia amara is intolerant of shade, and resistant to drought. In Africa it grows mainly in sandy woodlands. [2]

Albizia amara and Hardwickia binata are the dominant canopy trees in the Central Deccan Plateau Dry Deciduous Forests ecoregion of India. [5] It is also found in the Anamalai, Palani and Cardamom hills of Western Ghats and the Godavari area, the Javadi Hills of Eastern Ghats in South India. [6]

Uses

Albizia amara with flowers and pods Albizia amara HS 4412.jpg
Albizia amara with flowers and pods

Medicinal uses

Its wood is used for construction and furniture, and as a firewood. Albizia amara provides many environmental services: control of soil erosion, wind break, shade provider. It is also an ornamental tree in urban areas. Ruminants can feed its leaves. [9]

In colonial times, in India, its "plentiful" wood was extensively used as railway fuel. [10]

References

  1. ↑ "Albizia amara (Roxb.)B.Boivin" . Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Orwa C, A Mutua, Kindt R, Jamnadass R, S Anthony. 2009 Agroforestree Database: a tree reference and selection guide version 4.0 (http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sites/treedbs/treedatabases.asp Archived 2009-01-16 at the Wayback Machine ). Accessed 18 July 2014
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Krishen, Pradip (2006). Trees of Delhi: A Field Guide. Penguin Books India. ISBN   9780144000708.
  4. ↑ Sen-Sarma, P. K. (2012). Forest Entomology. APH Publishing. ISBN   9788131303320.
  5. ↑ Wikramanayake, Eric; Eric Dinerstein; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (2002). Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment. Island Press; Washington, DC. pp. 324–326
  6. ↑ Mani, M.S (December 2012). Ecology and Biogeography in India. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   9789401023313 . Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Khare, C.P. (22 April 2008). Indian Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated Dictionary. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 29, 30. ISBN   9780387706375.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Albizia amara – A Potential Medicinal Plant: A Review" (PDF). International Journal of Science and Research. 5.
  9. ↑ Heuzé V., Thiollet H., Tran G., Lebas F., 2016. Albizia (Albizia amara). Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/337
  10. ↑ Cox, Arthur F., 1895. Madras District Manuals: North Arcot (North Arcot District Gazetteer). Madras: Government Press. p. 25.
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