Binomial |
Delonix regia (Boj. ex Hook) Raf. |
Family
|
Fabaceae |
Tamil Name |
Neruppu Kondrai (நெருப்புக் கொன்றை) |
Tree |
Medium sized, deciduous. |
Bark |
Light brown, moderately smooth, creased at branch forks.
|
Flowers |
Orange red with a cream-coloured odd petal with streaks of yellow and red. |
Fruits
|
Pods flat, long, woody, dark persist through many months until next flowering season. |
Flowering Period
|
April to July |
Pollinators
|
Insects and nectar feeding birds. |
Country of Origin |
Madagascar |
About the tree |
It is the official tree of Vietnam. In the Philippines, its flowering signals the imminent arrival of the monsoon rains.
In the Indian state of Kerala, royal poinciana is called kaalvarippoo - "the flower of Calvary". There is a popular belief among St. Thomas Christians of Kerala that when Jesus was crucified, the blood of Jesus Christ was shed over the flowers of a small royal poinciana tree nearby his Cross and this is how the flowers of this tree got a sharp red color.
The tree is also incorrectly believed to be the ‘Flame of the Forest’. The tree is recognized to have anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-diarrheal, hepato-protective, anti-microbial and anti- inflammatory activities.
|
Location on campus |
https://goo.gl/maps/RuFNWKL5yt7cVPVg7 |