Saraca indica

Primary tabs

Saraca indica

Description

Tree to 24 m tall and 34 cm in diam. Leaves (l-)2-4(-7)-jugate, subsessile to short- ly petioled; petiole and rachis (0.5-)7-25(-35) cm long. Inflorescences up to 10(-22) cm wide, slightly pubescent or subglabrous, main branches up to c. 14 cm long, 1.5-5 mm diam.; bracts elliptic or ovate-oblong, 3-8 by 1.5-4.5 mm, caducous or persistent, puberulous and/or minutely ciliate on the margin; bracteoles caducous or persistent during anthesis, erecto-patent to spreading, broadly elliptic or ovate, 3-8 by 1.5-5 mm, glabrous or minutely ciliate on the margin; pedicels (4-) 12-20(-35) mm, the length between bracteoles and flower 7-10(-14) mm. Flowers orange yellow, to deep orange or purple, or red, articulated near the base, glabrous. Stamens (5 or) 6-8(-10); filaments 10-35 mm, often puberulous at the basal parts; anthers ellipsoid or oblong, c. 1 mm long; staminodes absent. Seeds ovoid-oblong, sometimes reniform, 4-5 by 2-2.5 cm, and 0.6-1.2 cm thick.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa present); Laos (Laos present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present); Thailand (Thailand present), S Vietnam present
Thailand, Laos, S Vietnam; Malesia: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Java.

Morphology

Flowering collections of Saraca indica can be recognized by the rather higher number of stamens (usually 6-8) and the bracteoles which are erecto-patent to spreading, not clasping the pedicel, and caducous or persistent during anthesis.

Uses

Commonly cultivated as an ornamental .

Citation

J.E. Vidal 1980: p. 137. – In: Fl. Camb., Laos & Vietnam: pl. 24/1-4
Ridley 1922 – In: Fl. Malay Penins.: 641
J.E. Vidal 1984: p. 97. – In: Fl. Thailand: f. 24/5-7.
Corner 1940: p. 401. – In: Wayside Trees: f. 134, 135.
Backer & Bakh.f 1864 – In: Fl. Java: 528.
Whitmore 1972 – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: 269
Ridley 1922 – In: Fl. Malay Penins.: 641
W.J. de Wilde 1968: p. 393. – In: Blumea: f. IB
Corner 1940: Wayside Trees: 402
Zuijderh. 1968: p. 423. – In: Blumea: map 3