Saraca

For the genus of moth, see Saraca (moth).
Saraca
Saraca asoca
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Detarieae
Genus: Saraca
L.

Saraca L. is a genus in the family Fabaceae (legume family) of about 20 plant species[1] of trees native to the lands from India, China and Ceylon to Malaysia and Celebes.

The trees are grown in distinctly warm humid climates, and prefer a moist well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. They can also be grown within greenhouses. The trees themselves are grown for their upturned flowers which have clusters in yellow, orange or red. The trees' flowers have no petals, but contain brightly colored sepals, and have stamens projecting up to eight inches long. The leaves are pinnate and have paired leaflets. Typically, these trees are accustomed to the shade of other trees. Most species of Saraca are trees characteristic of particular streams. The species Saraca asoca is believed to be the tree under which Buddha was born. Red saraca is the provincial tree of Yala province, Thailand.

Species

Species include:[2]

Saraca asoca
Saraca celebica
Saraca declinata
Saraca dives
Saraca griffithiana
Saraca hullettii
Saraca indica
Saraca monodelpha
Saraca thaipingensis
Saraca tubiflora

Pests

S. indica is host to the Peacock mite Tuckerella channabasavannai.

References

  1. Dezhao Chen, Dianxiang Zhang, and Ding Hou, "Saraca Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 2: 469; Mant. Pl. 1: 13, 98. 1767", Flora of China online 10
  2. The Plant List, retrieved 6 January 2016

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, April 19, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.