BUTEA MONOSPERMA (Lamk.) Taub. – Department of Forest & Wildlife UT Administration Chandigarh

Chandigarh Forests

Department of Forest & Wildlife
UT Administration
Chandigarh

BUTEA MONOSPERMA (Lamk.) Taub.


Division	Angiosperms
Class	Dicotledons
Subclass	Polypetalae
Series	Calyciflorae
Order	Rosales
Family	Fabaceae
Genus	Butea
Species	monosperma


Etymology:	In honour of John Stuart, Earl of Bute (1713-1792), a patron of botany. Prime Minister of England (1762-1763).
Botanical name	Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub. (B. frondosa Roxb.)
Local/Trade names:	Flame of the Forest, Dhak, Palas
Conservation status:	Commonly found wild. Also planted in gardens.
Digonestic features:	Leaves trifoliate; flowers bright orange – red.
Description:	An erect, deciduous tree. Bark ash-coloured and rough. Leaves 3-foliate; leaflets 6-18 x 10-16 cm, finely silky below when young, turning glabrous with age; lateral leaflets are broader, more rounded. Flowers large, orange- red. Pod one seeded, 10-15 x 4-6 cm, pale-green or yellowish-brown.
Phenology:	Fls.: & Frts.: March-June.
Distribution:	Throughout the India. Sri Lanka and Myanmar, also eastward as far as Papua, New Guinea and China.
Where to see it:	Leaves much used throughout the country for making platters, cups, etc.; dried leaves used as beedi wrappers. Young shoots yield a fibre used for ropes. Root-bark yields a coarse fibre used for cordage and caulking boats. Bark astringent used piles, tumours and menstrual disorders. Tree yields a gum called Butea gum or Bengal kino which is astringent and used in diarrhoea. Flowers yield a brilliant but very fugitive yellow colouring matter. When the seeds are pounded with lemon juice, they act as a powerful rubefacient and have been successfully used as a cure for a form of herpes called Dhobie’s itch. They yield a fatty oil (18%). Wood used mainly for well-curbs and water-scoops; also employed as a cheap broad wood and for structural work. Wood pulp is suitable for newsprint manufacture.
Uses:	Leaves supposed to be poisonous; poultice of leaves used to wounds and bruises.

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Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden is the Head of the Department. There is one post of Conservator of Forests & two posts of Deputy Conservator of Forests viz.

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