141
Pterocarpus
marsupium Roxb.
Synonym : Lingoum marsupium (Roxb.) Kuntze
Family
: Papilionoideae
Local
Names
: Karavenga, Venga, Indian
kino tree
Flowering
and fruiting period:
September – October
Distribution: India and Sri Lanka
Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the
plains
IUCN
status:
Vulnerable
Endemic: No
Uses: Resin is used in the treatment of chronic
diarrhoea and the irritation caused by gastric infection and colitis. It
is commonly used in cases of toothache and also as a douche to treat vaginal
discharge. The resin is applied topically in the treatment of skin conditions. The
bark is used, either as a powder or in decoction, in the treatment of diarrhoea.
A decoction of the bark is very useful for diabetic patients. Extracts of the
wood and bark are used as skin and hair conditioners in commercial cosmetic
preparations. A good quality wood, it is used for various purposes.
Key
Characters:
Deciduous trees, to 30 m high, bark
surface grey or greyish-black, rough. Leaves imparipinnate, alternate, leaflets
5-7, alternate, elliptic-oblong. Flowers bisexual, yellow, in terminal and
axillary panicles. Calyx tube campanulate; corolla exserted. Petals 5; standard
orbicular, wings oblique, obovate; keel petals oblique, small. Stamens 10,
monadelphous. Ovary shortly stalked, inferior, 1-celled, ovules 2; stigma
capitate. Fruit a pod, broadly winged; seed one.
