Pterocarpus macrocarpus

Burma padauk
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Pterocarpus
Species:	P. macrocarpus
Binomial name
Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz [2]
Synonyms [3] [2]
List Lingoum macrocarpum(Kurz) Kuntze Lingoum cambodianumPierre Lingoum glaucinumPierre Lingoum gracilePierre Lingoum oblongumPierre Lingoum parvifoliumPierre Lingoum pedatumPierre Pterocarpus cambodianus(Pierre) Dyer Pterocarpus cambodianus var. calcicolaCraib Pterocarpus cambodianus var. glaucinus(Pierre) Gagnep. Pterocarpus cambodianus var. gracilis(Pierre) Gagnep. Pterocarpus cambodianus var. oblongus(Pierre) Gagnep. Pterocarpus cambodianus var. parvifolius(Pierre) Gagnep. Pterocarpus glaucinus(Pierre) Dyer Pterocarpus gracilis(Pierre) Dyer Pterocarpus gracilis var. brevipesCraib Pterocarpus gracilis var. nitidusCraib Pterocarpus macrocarpus var. oblongus(Pierre) Gagnep. Pterocarpus oblongus(Pierre) Dyer Pterocarpus parvifolius(Pierre) Dyer Pterocarpus pedatus(Pierre) Dyer

Pterocarpus macrocarpus, or Burma padauk, ^[4] is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae . ^{[3] [5]} It is native to the seasonal tropical forests of southeastern Asia: in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. ^{[2] [6] [7]} It has been naturalized in India and the Caribbean. ^[6]

Description

Pterocarpus macrocarpus is a medium-sized tree growing to 10–30 m (rarely to 39 m) tall, with a trunk up to 1.7 m diameter; it is deciduous in the dry season. The bark is flaky, grey-brown; if cut, it secretes a red gum. The leaves are 200–350 mm long, pinnate, with 9–11 leaflets. The flowers are yellow, produced in racemes 50–90 mm long. The fruit is a pod surrounded by a round wing 45–70 mm diameter, containing two or three seeds. ^{[6] [7]}

The wood is durable and resistant to termites; it is important, used for furniture, construction timber, cart wheels, tool handles, and posts; ^[7] though not a true rosewood it is sometimes traded as such. The seasonal padauk flowers bloom annually around Thingyan (April) and is considered one of the national symbols ^[8] of Myanmar (formerly Burma).

• 
  Padauk flowers during Thingyan
• 
  Padauk seeds
• 
  Displayed Padauk wood

References

1. Barstow, M. (2019). "Pterocarpus macrocarpus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T32308A2813424. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T32308A2813424.en . Retrieved 2 February 2023.
2. "Pterocarpus macrocarpus". International Legume Database & Information Service (ILDIS). Retrieved 3 July 2017.
3. "Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
4. NRCS. "Pterocarpus macrocarpus". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 15 October 2015.
5. "Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
6. "Pterocarpus macrocarpus" (PDF). Danida Forest Seed Centre. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
7. "Pterocarpus macrocarpus". International Institute of Tropical Forestry. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
8. Australia, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Parks. "Floral Emblems of the world - Australian Plant Information". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-04-14.

External links

• Media related to Pterocarpus macrocarpus at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Pterocarpus macrocarpus at Wikispecies