Trees

Grevillea robusta From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Grevillea robusta

Scientific classification Kingdom: (unranked): (unranked): Order: Family: Genus: Species:

Plantae Angiosperms Eudicots Proteales Proteaceae Grevillea G. robusta

Binomial name Grevillea robusta A.Cunn. ex R.Br.

Leaves and flowers Grevillea robusta, commonly known as the southern silky oak or Silky-oak, or Australian Silver-oak, is the largest species in the genus Grevillea. It is a native of eastern coastal Australia, in riverine, subtropical and dry rainforest environments receiving more than 1,000 mm per year of average rainfall. It is a fast growing evergreen tree, between 18-35 m tall with dark green delicately dented bipinnatifid leaves reminiscent of a fern frond. It is the largest plant in the Grevillea genus, reaching diameters in excess of one metre. These leaves are generally 15-30 cm long with greyish white or rusty undersides. Its flowers are golden-orange bottlebrush-like blooms, between 8-15 cm long, in the spring, on a 2-3 cm long stem and are used for honey production. The seeds mature in late winter to early spring, fruiting on dark brown leathery dehiscent follicles, about 2 cm long, with one or two flat, winged seeds. [edit] Uses Before the advent of aluminium, the timber from this tree was widely used for external window joinery as it is resistant to rotting. It was also popular for making furniture. There are severe restrictions on the harvesting of this tree now as the number of trees became depleted. Silky Oak is a valuable timber and was one of Australia’s best known cabinet timbers. It is the best tree which can be used for fencing and it is one of the fastest growing trees. [edit] Cultivation When young it can be grown as a houseplant where it can tolerate light shade, but prefers full sun as it grows best in warm zones. If planted outside, young trees need protection on frosty nights. Once established it is hardier and tolerates temperatures down to about −8 °C (17 °F)[1]. It needs occasional water but is otherwise fairly drought-resistant. Grevillea robusta is often used as stock for grafting difficult-to-grow grevilleas. Care needs to be taken when planted near bushland as it can be weedy. Grevillea robusta (Southern Silky Oak) is also grown in plantations in South Africa.[2] Alstonia scholaris From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Alstonia scholaris

Indian Devil tree (Alstonia scholaris) Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 2.3) Scientific classification Kingdom: (unranked): (unranked): (unranked): Order: Family: Tribe: Subtribe: Genus: Species:

Plantae Angiosperms Eudicots Asterids Gentianales Apocynaceae Plumeriae Alstoniinae Alstonia A. scholaris

Binomial name Alstonia scholaris L. R. Br. Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae, commonly called Blackboard tree, Indian devil tree, Ditabark, Milkwood pine, White cheesewood and Pulai; syn. Echites scholaris L. Mant., Pala scholaris L. Roberty) is an evergreen, tropical tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. [edit] Description

Leaves and flowers in Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Leaves and fruit in Kolkata

Alstonia scholaris in the IIT Kanpur campus Alstonia scholaris is a small tree that grows up to 40 m tall and is glabrous. The bark is greyish; branchlets are copiously lenticellate. The upperside of the leaves are glossy, while the underside is greyish.[1] Leaves occur in whorls of 3-10; petioles are 1-3 cm; the leathery leaves are narrowly obovate to very narrowly spathulate, base cuneate, apex usually rounded; lateral veins occur in 25-50 pairs, at 80-90° to midvein. Cymes are dense and pubescent; peduncle is 4-7 cm long. Pedicels are usually as long as or shorter than calyx. The corolla is white and tubelike, 6-10 mm; lobes are broadly ovate or broadly obovate, 2-4.5 mm, overlapping to the left. The ovaries are distinct and pubescent. The follicles are distinct and linear. Seeds of A. scholaris are oblong, with ciliated margins, and ends with tufts of hairs 1.5-2 cm.[2] The bark is almost odourless and very bitter, with abundant bitter and milky sap. [edit] Range Alstonia scholaris is native to the following regions[3]:

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China: Guangxi (s.w.), Yunnan (s.)

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Indian subcontinent: India; Nepal; Sri Lanka

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Southeast Asia: Cambodia; Myanmar; Thailand; Vietnam, Indonesia; Malaysia; Papua New Guinea; Philippines

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Australia: Queensland

It has also been naturalised in several other tropical and subtropical climates. [edit] Uses The bark contains the alkaloids ditamine, echitenine and echitamine and used to serve as an alternative to quinine. At one time, a decoction of the bark was used to treat diarrhoea and malaria, as a tonic, febrifuge, emmenagogue, anticholeric and vulnerary. A decoction of the leaves were used for beriberi.[1] Ayurveda recommends A. scholaris for bowel complaints. In Sri Lanka its light wood is used for coffins. In Borneo the wood close to the root is very light and of white colour, and is used for net floats, household utensils, trenchers, corks, etc.[4] fGolden Shower Tree From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search "Cassia fistula" redirects here. This taxon can also refer to other species; see below. "Canafistula" redirects here. This can also refer to Maloxo (Albizia inundata). Golden Shower Tree

Golden Shower Tree in bloom Conservation status Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1) Scientific classification Kingdom: Division: Class: Subclass: (unranked): Order: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Subtribe: Genus: Species:

Plantae Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida Rosidae Eurosids I Fabales Fabaceae Caesalpinioideae Cassieae Cassiinae Cassia C. fistula

Binomial name Cassia fistula L.

Synonyms Many, see text The Golden Shower Tree (Cassia fistula as described by Linné[citation needed], and see below for other names) is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to southern Asia, from southern Pakistan east through India to Myanmar and south to Sri Lanka. It is the national tree of Thailand. dit] Growth It is a medium-sized tree growing to 10-20 m tall with fast growth. The leaves are deciduous or semi-evergreen, 15-60 cm long, pinnate with 3-8 pairs of leaflets, each leaflet 7-21 cm long and 4-9 cm broad. The flowers are produced in pendulous racemes 20-40 cm long, each flower 4-7 cm diameter with five yellow petals of equal size and shape. The fruit is a legume is 30-60 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm broad, with a pungent odour and containing several seeds. The seeds are poisonous. [edit] Cultivation and uses

leaves in Hyderabad, India. Cassia fistula is widely grown as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas. It blooms in late spring (May on the northern, November on the southern hemisphere); flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flora, with almost no leaf being seen. It is not recommended for dry climates. Growth for this tree is best in full sun on well-drained soil; it is drought- and salt- tolerant, but will be damaged by even short spells of freezing weather. It can be subject to mildew, leaf spot and root diseases. In Ayurvedic medicine, Golden Shower Tree is known as aragvadha ("disease killer"). Its fruitpulp is used as mild laxative, against fevers, arthritis, vatavyadhi (nervous system diseases), all kinds of rakta-pitta (bleeding, such as hematemesis or hemorrhages), as well as cardiac conditions and stomach problems such as acid reflux. The root is considered a very strong purgative, and self-medication or any use without medical supervision is strongly advised against in Ayurvedic texts. Though its use in herbalism is attested to since millennia, there has been rather little research in modern times. While the purgative action is probably due to abundant 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone and derivates thereof, whether the reputed nervous system (anti-vatavyadhi) effects are real and if, what causes them, is not known. While many Fabaceae are a source of potent entheogens and other psychoactive compounds (see e.g. tryptamines), such plants are rarely found among the Caesalpinioideae. The golden shower tree is the national flower of Thailand; its yellow leaves symbolize Thai royalty. A 2006-2007 flower festival, the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek, was named after the tree, which is most often called dok khuen or ratchaphruek in Thailand.[1] The golden shower tree is the state flower of Kerala in India. The flowers are of ritual importance in the Vishu festival of Kerala state of India, and the tree was depicted on a 20 Indian rupees stamp. C. fistula is also featured on a 2003 joint Canadian-Thai design for a 48 cent stamp, part of a series featuring national emblems. It has strong & very durable wood.There is please called "Ahala Kanuwa" in "Adems peek" "Sri Lanka" and its made by Cassia fistula(Ahala) heart wood. It has reportedly been used in other, less wholesome, contexts.[1] Ceiba speciosa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Floss silk tree

Trees in flower at the National Flag Memorial Park in Rosario, Argentina. Scientific classification Kingdom: (unranked): (unranked): (unranked): Order: Family:

Plantae Angiosperms Eudicots Rosids Malvales Malvaceae

Genus: Species:

Ceiba C. speciosa

Binomial name Ceiba speciosa (A.St.-Hil., A.Juss. & Cambess.) Ravenna Synonyms Chorisia speciosa "Drunken tree" redirects here. For tilted trees, see drunken trees. The floss silk tree (Ceiba speciosa, formerly Chorisia speciosa), is a species of deciduous tree native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America. It has a host of local common names, such as palo borracho (in Spanish literally "drunken tree"). It belongs to the same family as the baobab and the kapok. Another tree of the Ceiba genus, C. chodatii, often receives the same common names. The natural habitat of the floss silk tree is the north-east of Argentina, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. It is resistant to drought and moderate cold. It grows fast in spurts when water is abundant, and sometimes reaches more than 25 m in height. Its trunk is bottle-shaped, generally bulging in its lower third, measuring up to 2 m in girth. It is studded with thick conical prickles which serve to store water for dry times. In younger trees, the trunk is green due to its high chlorophyll content, which makes it capable of performing photosynthesis when leaves are absent; with age it turns to gray. The branches tend to be horizontal and are also covered with prickles. The leaves are composed of five to seven long leaflets. The flowers are creamy-whitish in the center and pink towards the tips of their five petals. They measure 10-15 cm in diameter and their shape is not unlike hibiscus flowers. Their nectar is known to attract insects such as monarch butterflies, which perform pollination. C. speciosa flowers are in bloom between February and May. The flowers of the related C. chodatii are similar in form and size, but their color goes from creamy white centers to yellow tips. The fruits are lignous ovoid pods, 20 cm long, which contain bean-sized black seeds surrounded by a mass of fibrous, fluffy matter reminiscent of cotton or silk. [edit] Uses The "cotton" inside the fruit pods, although not of as good quality as kapok, has been used as stuffing for pillows and thermic insulation at times. The wood of this tree is light (relative density = 0.27 g/cm³), soft and flexible, and is employed in packaging, to make canoes, as wood pulp to make paper, and in ropes. From the seeds it is possible to obtain vegetable oil (both edible and industrially useful). The floss silk tree is cultivated mostly for ornamental purposes. Outside of private gardens around the world, it is often planted along urban streets. Ceiba speciosa is added to some versions of the hallucinogenic drink Ayahuasca.[1] Polyalthia longifolia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Polyalthia longifolia

Scientific classification Kingdom: (unranked): (unranked): Order: Family: Genus: Species:

Plantae Angiosperms Magnoliids Magnoliales Annonaceae Polyalthia P. longifolia

Binomial name Polyalthia longifolia

Seeds and fruit of Polyalthia longifolia

Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula - leaves Polyalthia longifolia is a lofty evergreen tree, native to India, commonly planted due to its effectiveness in alleviating noise pollution. It exhibits symmetrical pyramidal growth with willowy weeping pendulous branches and long narrow lanceolate leaves with undulate margins. The tree is known to grow over 30 ft in height. [edit] Common names Asopalav (Gujarati), false ashoka, green champa, Indian mast tree, Indian fir tree, glodogan tiang (Indonesian). [edit] Distribution Found natively in India and Sri Lanka. It is introduced in gardens in many tropical countries around the world. [edit] Leaves Fresh leaves are a coppery brown color and are soft and delicate to touch, as the leaves grow older the color becomes a light green and finally a dark green. The leaves are larval food plant of the kite swallowtails. Acacia auriculiformis From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Earleaf acacia

Scientific classification Kingdom: Division: Class: Order: Family: Genus: Species:

Plantae Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida Fabales Fabaceae Acacia A. auriculiformis

Binomial name Acacia auriculiformis A.Cunn. ex Benth. Acacia auriculiformis, commonly known as Auri, Earleaf acacia, Earpod wattle, Northern black wattle, Papuan wattle, Tan wattle, is a fast-growing, crooked, gnarly and thorny tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. It grows up to 30m tall.[1] Acacia auriculiformis has about 47 000 seeds/kg.[2] [edit] Uses

Flowers & leaves in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. This plant is raised as an ornamental plant, as a shade tree and it is also raised on plantations for fuelwood throughout southeast Asia Oceana and in Sudan. Its wood is good for making paper, furniture and tools. It contains tannin usesful in animal hide tanning. In India, its wood and charcoal are widely used for fuel. Gum from the tree is sold commercially, but it is said not to be as useful as gum arabic.[1] The tree is used to make an analgesic by indigenous Australians.[3] Extracts of Acacia auriculiformis heartwood inhibit fungi that attack wood.[4] Delonix regia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Delonix regia

Tree in full bloom in the Florida Keys Conservation status

Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3) Scientific classification Kingdom: Division: Class: Order: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Species:

Plantae Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida Fabales Fabaceae Caesalpinioideae Caesalpinieae Delonix D. regia

Binomial name Delonix regia (Boj. ex Hook.) Raf. Delonix regia is a species of flowering plant from the Fabaceae family, noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers. Often grown as an ornamental tree and given the name Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant, it is also known as Krishnachura, Gulmohar, Peacock Flower, Flame of the Forest, Malinche, and Tabachine[1], and one of several named the Flame tree. The species was previously placed in a genus Poinciana, named for Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy who is credited with introducing the plant to the Americas. [edit] Description The tree's vivid red/vermilion/orange/yellow flowers and bright green foliage make it an exceptionally striking sight. The Royal Poinciana is endemic to Madagascar, where it is found in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests. In the wild it is endangered, but it is widely cultivated elsewhere. In addition to its ornamental value, it is also a useful shade tree in tropical conditions, because it usually grows to a modest height (typically around 5 m, though it can reach as high as 12 m) but spreads widely, and its dense foliage provides full shade. In areas with a marked dry season, it sheds its leaves during the drought, but in other areas it is virtually evergreen.

Flower, leaves & pods in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The flowers are large, with four spreading scarlet or orange-red petals up to 8 cm long, and a fifth upright petal called the standard, which is slightly larger and spotted with yellow and white. The naturally occurring variety flavida has yellow flowers. Seed pods are dark brown and can be up to 60 cm long and 5 cm wide; the individual seeds, however, are small, weighing around 0.4 g on average. The compound leaves have a feathery appearance and are a characteristic light, bright green. They are doubly pinnate: Each leaf is 30-50 cm long and has 20 to 40 pairs of primary leaflets or pinnae on it, and each of these is further divided into 10-20 pairs of secondary leaflets or pinnules. The Royal Poinciana requires a tropical or near-tropical climate, but can tolerate drought and salty conditions. It is very widely grown in the Caribbean, Africa, Hong Kong, the Canary Islands, Taiwan and southern China, and is also the city tree of Tainan, Taiwan and Xiamen, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. National Cheng Kung University, a university located in Tainan, put Royal Poinciana on its emblem. It also grows throughout southern Brazil, with ornamental trees in Rio Grande de Sul (Canoas and Porto Alegre) http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we1388.html#Regions_of_Distribution

In Bangalore, Karnataka, India In the United States, it grows only in South Florida, Southwest Florida, the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, ranging from the low deserts of Southern Arizona (to as high as Tucson), Southern California, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, where it is the official tree of the islands. It is much adored in the Caribbean; for example, many Puerto Rican paintings feature Flamboyant Trees. The Poinciana is also the national flower of St. Kitts and Nevis. The Royal Poinciana is regarded as naturalised in many of the locations where it is grown, and is seen by some as an invasive species in some parts of Australia, partly because its dense shade and root system prevent the growth of other species under it. It is also found in India, where it is referred to as the Gulmohar, or Gul Mohr[2]. In West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh it is called Krishnachura. In Vietnam, this tree is called "Phượng vỹ", or phoenix's tail, and is a popular urban tree in much of Vietnam. Its flowering season is April - May, which coincides with the end of the school year in Vietnam. Because of this timing, the flower of Poinciana is sometimes called the "flower of pupil", and often generates strong emotions among graduating high school pupils, as the Poinciana bloom when they are about to leave their school and their childhood behind. The seed pods of the Royal Poincianas are used in the Caribbean as a percussion instrument known as the shak-shak or maraca.