Tamarindus Indica

 Botanical Name: Tamarindus Indica L.


Family: Fabaceae

Common Name: Puli

English Name: Tamarind tree, Indian date,

Description:  It is a long lived and beautiful fruiting tree, growing up to 30 metres tall with a dense, spreading crown. The tree has fragrant flowers and feathery foliage that is usually evergreen but becomes deciduous in drier regions. The bole is usually short, 1 - 2 metres in diameter. The seedpod of the tamarind is widely used for food in the tropics. The tree also yields a number of other edible uses, as well as having a wide range of medicinal applications and other uses. Leaves paripinnate alternate leatlets 20-34 opposite sessile, 1.5x0.4-1.3cm oblong apex obtuse base unequal margin entire, glabrous chartaceous stipules lateral, minute, cauducous, rachis 8-13cm long slender, glabrous, pulvinate, lateral nerves 10-15 pairs painnate slender obscure looped at the margin forming intramarginal nerve; intercostae. Reticulate, obscure flowers bisexual 1cm across yellow with reddish-pink dots in lax terminal racemes bracts and bractoles ovate-oblong coloured cauducous pedicess up to 5mm calyx tube narrowly turbinate lined by disc lobes 4 subequal oblong imbricate. Petals 3 outer one 1x0.3 rolled up pink dotted latteral 2,1-1.5  x.0.7-1cm clawed subequal, oblong lanceloate, lower pair scaly stamens 9 monadelphous only 3 fertile others reduced to bristle base pubescent anthers versatile ovary half inferior stipitate adnate to the disc ovules many style attenuate, tomentose stigma globose. Fruit a pod 10-15x1-2cm oblong fruit wall crustaceous, mesocarp pulpy. The tree is widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental plant, for its edible seedpods and also for its many medicinal uses.

Flowering & Fruiting: September- April

Distribution: Native of Tropical Africa, introduced and widely grown in India and other parts of tropics.

District: All Districts of Tamil Nadu

IUCN: Stable: Least Concern Tamarindus indica (iucnredlist.org)

Uses: The bark is astringent and tonic and its ash may be given internally as a digestive. Incorporated into lotions or poultices, the bark may be used to relives sores, ulcers, boils and rashes. It may also be administered as a decoction against asthma and amenorrhea and as a febrifuge. A decoction of the flower buds is used as a remedy for children's bedwetting and urinary complaints. Powdered seeds may be given to cure dysentery and diarrhea. The immature pods are used in a variety of ways, being eaten fresh mixed with spices, pickled like green mango, or added whole to soups, stews and sauces.  

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