Desi-badam - Indian almond

Desi-badam - Indian almond

Terminalia catappa

Summary

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledonae
Order: Myrtales
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Terminalia
Species: T.catappa
Scientific Name: Terminalia catappa L.

Common names
English: Indian almond.
Hindi: Jangli-badam, Desi-badam.
Kannada: Kadubadami, Badami Mara.
Marathi: Bengali Badam.

Description

  1. Habit and Habitat: fast-growing, deciduous tree with a pagoda-like crown with layers of branches spaced at about 1–2 m apart. They can grow up to 25 m tall. It grows in coastal thickets, beaches, rocky shores, sand dunes, parks, gardens, and edges of mangrove swamps.
  2. Distribution: Naturally widespread in subtropical and tropical zones of Indian and Pacific Oceans and planted extensively throughout the tropics.
  3. Morphology:
    Leaf: Alternate, 6-12 inch long, obovate, oblong, pointed at apex, base rounded with a depressed gland on each side of the midrib, exstipulate.
    Inflorescence: Axillary solitary spikes.
    Flowers: The plant is monoecious, producing both male and bisexual flowers. Greenish-white, small, bracteoles minute, lanceolate. Calyx-tube ovoid, teeth 4-5 triangular. Petals 0.
    Androecium: Stamens 8-10, episepalous.
    Gynoecium: Ovary inferior, ovules pendulous, style awl-shaped, stigma simple.
    Fruit: As fibrous drupe, oval or ellipsoid, compressed, with 2 elevated margins, convex on both sides.
    Seeds: Single seed. The seed within the fruit is edible when fully ripe.
    Flowering and Fruiting time: August – September.
  4. Propagation: by seeds.
  5. Importance: Planted in the gardens and can be used on road-sides as a shade-tree.The fruit is edible.The juice of the leaves is used in headaches and skin diseases.The fruit is cooling astringent to bowels.
  6. Location: Main Entrance Garden, Hostel, Sports garden.

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