Common name: White Gulmohar, White Poincian • Hindi: Waykaran, Samrsro, Sanesro, Sandeshra • Kannada: kempukenjiga, nirangi, vatanarayana • Marathi: sanchaila, sankasura • Sanskrit: सिद्धेश्वर Siddhesvara • Tamil: Perungondrai, Vadanarayanan, Varatti • Telugu: Chinna seribiseri, Chitti keshwaramu
Botanical name: Delonix elata Family: Caesalpiniaceae (Gulmohar family) Synonyms: Poinciana elata
White Gulmohar is an erect tree, 6-10 m tall, with ash-colored bark.
Leaves are 6-20 cm long, double-compound, like Gulmohar. Sidestalks are
4-8 pairs, 4-6 cm long, leaflets are l0-20 pairs, stalkless, linear-
oblong, blunt, sometimes with slight point at the tip, narrowed towards
the base, 7-15 mm long, 2-3 mm wide. Flowers are borne in racemes at the
end of branches, the lower flower with the longest stalk, stalks hairy, up
to 2.5-3 cm long. Sepals are 2-3 cm long, fused at the base, leathery,
silky pubescent, oblong, narrow and sharp pointed. Flowers are white in
the beginning, turning yellow, the upper petal is smaller and darker in
colour, almost circular, curled at the margins, 2.5 cm long. Stamens are
hairy, dark coloured, 5-10 cm long, thickened at the base. Pods are
12.5-20 cm long, 6-25 mm broad, smooth, narrow at both the ends, seeds 4-8.
Within India, it is found wild in some parts of peninsular India and
frequently planted as an avenue tree. Flowering: All year.
Identification credit: Stephen D.
| Photographed in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. |
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