Pterocarpus indicus Willd.

Pterocarpus indicus Tree

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Pterocarpus indicus Tree

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Leaves of Pterocarpus indicus 

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Pterocarpus indicus Tree (Fall)

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Fruit of Pterocarpus indicus 

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Regnum           : Plantae – Plants

Subregnum      : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Divisio             : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Classis             : Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclassis        : Rosidae

Ordo                : Fabales

Familia            : Fabaceae – Pea family

Genus              : Pterocarpus

Species            : Pterocarpus indicus Willd.

Description

Pterocarpus indicus is a big tree, growing to 33 m in height and 2 m diameter. The trunks are usually fluted and buttressed to 7-m diameter at the base. The crowns are large and bear many long branches that are at first ascending, but eventually arch over and sometimes droop at the ends. Trees with long willowy, drooping branches are particularly conspicuous and attractive in Singapore and some parts of Malaysia and Hawaii. Elsewhere the drooping habit may not develop. In a non-seasonal humid tropical climate such as in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, the trees are generally evergreen, but in regions with seasonal rainfall, the trees are deciduous (Orwa et al.2009). 

The leaves are compound-pinnate, bearing about 12 alternate leaflets. The leaflets are rather large, 7 x 3.5 to 11 x 55 cm and ovate to elliptic in shape, with a pronounced acuminate tip.

 The flowers are yellow, fragrant, and borne in large axillary panicles. When flowering, the buds do not open in daily sequence. Instead, as buds come to full size, they are kept waiting, to be triggered into opening. The opened flowers last for one day. After that, several days may pass before another batch of accumulated 'ready' buds open. The nature of the trigger is unknown. Whole avenues of such trees blooming in unpredictable synchrony making a splendid display (Orwa et al.2009).

The fruits, which take four months to mature, are disc-shaped, flat, and have winged margins. About 5 cm across, the fruit have a central woodycorky bulge containing several seeds (ptero-carpus means winged fruit). Unlike most legumes, the Pterocarpus fruit is indehiscent and is dispersed by wind. It also floats in water and can be water-dispersed (Orwa et al.2009). There are 1-3 seeds in each fruit. 

Two distinct forms of P. indicus are recognized: P. indicus Willd. forma echinatus (Persoon) Rojo and P. indicus Willd. forma indicus. The seed portion of the pod of forma echinatus (common name pricky pear narra) is covered with distinct bristle-like spicules, while the seed of forma indicus are smooth (common name smooth narra) (Orwa et al.2009). The distribution of pricky narra appears to be more limited than that of smooth narra. The end uses are identical. Pterocarpus is based on the Greek words ‘pteran’ meaning a wing and, ‘karpos’ meaning’ fruit. 

This plant is common to use as shade or shelter tree, ornamental and have ecological impact as a nitrogen fixing agent. The leaves can be processed to make shampoo. 

Location : UPI Gymnasium

Please cite this article as:

Azis, A. M. (2019). UPI Seed Plants: Pterocarpus indicus Willd. Online at
https://upiseedplants-one-aldi.blogspot.com/. Accessed (Date)