Angsana Tree

Pterocarpus indicus
Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Common Name: Angsana, Burmese Rosewood, Philippine Mahogany, Andaman Redwood, Red Sandalwood, Padouk, Padauk, Narra, Pokok Sena, Sena
Common Name (Chinese): 紫檀木, 青龙木, 印度紫檀
Origin: Indochina, Malesia, Western Pacific
Leaf Colour: Green
Leaf Texture: Smooth
Flower Colour: Yellow
Fruit Colour: Brown
Maximum Height (m): 35
Plant Shape: Rounded
Others: Suitable for Beginners, Tolerates Saline Conditions, Featured in 1001 Garden Plants in Singapore book

Butterfly Host Plant: Phaedyma columella singa (Short Banded Sailor)

Plant Description:
· Large tree with rounded, weeping crown. Evergreen in equatorial climates but deciduous in areas with seasonal rainfall. Popular ornamental and shade tree in Southeast Asia. National tree of Philippines, where it is known as Narra.
· Widely used as 'instant tree' in Singapore during 1960s due to fast growth and ability to root from large branch-cuttings. Severely affected by fungal epidemic (Fusarium Wilt) during 1980s in Singapore. Susceptible to being attacked and defoliated by moth leaf-miners in recent years. Branches pendulous, quite weak, prone to being broken during storms.
· Flowers yellow, faintly fragrant, source of honey for bee pollinators. Periodic mass-blooming triggered by unknown factors, flowers last for a day. Fruits are disc-like pods with papery wings, non-dehisicent (unlike typcial legumes), take up to 6 months to mature, dispersed mainly by wind. Genus name 'Pterocarpus' is derived from ‘pteron’ and ‘karpos’, meaning ‘winged fruit’.

Ethnobotanical Uses: Herb & Spice (Medicinal), Timber Product
· Reddish-brown, rose-scented hardwood is termite-resistant and used to make furniture.
· Red latex used to treat tumours, especially mouth cancer. This property might be due to an acidic polypeptide found in its leaves that inhibited growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells by disruption of cell and nuclear membranes
· Young leaves used as remedy for prickly heat and ulcers in Java.
· flower is used as a honey source while leaf infusions are used as shampoos
· Both flowers and leaves were said to be eaten