Cassia fistula L.
Vernacular name: Golden shower tree, Indian laburnum (Hindi: अमलतास)
Species Name: Cassia fistula L.
Family: Fabaceae (Caesalpinioideae)
Habit: Medium deciduous tree
Stem: Straight trunk 5-10 m, grey-brown bark, spreading branches.
Leaf: Pinnate compound 30-60 cm long, 4-8 pairs ovate leaflets 5-7 cm.
Flowering: Pre-monsoon (April-June)
Flowers: Bracteate pendulous racemes 30-60 cm; 5 yellow petals (obovate, 2-2.5 cm), 10 stamens (anthers unequal – 7 long perfect, 3 short staminodes), superior ovary (marginally stigmatic).
Fruit: Long cylindrical pods 30-60×2 cm, black sticky pulp.
Uses:
- The wood is hard and heavy; it is used for cabinet, inlay work, etc.
- Flowers has anti-aging and antioxidant properties and its extracts are widely used in cosmetic industry in preparation of complex whitening and collagen boosting products.
- The sweet blackish pulp of the seedpod is used as a mild laxative used to treat constipation and abdominal pain.
- Traditional medicines uses bark and roots due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to help with arthritis, rheumatism and general body pain.
- Leaves and root extracts have antifungal properties and used to treat and prevent fungal infections.
- A postal stamp was issued by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate this tree.
