Saraca indica

Saraca indica, commonly known as asoka-tree, Ashok or simply Asoca,[2] is a plant belonging to the subfamily Detarioideae of the family Fabaceae. The original plant specimen from which Carl Linnaeus described the species came from Java, but the name S. indica has been generally incorrectly applied to S. asoca since 1869.[3] It can be distinguished from S. asoca by its non-clasping bracteoles, a lower number of ovules, slightly smaller pods, and a more eastern geographic distribution.[4]

Ashoka tree
Not evaluated (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Detarioideae
Tribe: Saraceae
Genus: Saraca
Species:
S. indica
Binomial name
Saraca indica
Synonyms[1]
  • Jonesia asoca misapplied
  • Jonesia minor Zoll. & Moritzi
  • Saraca asoca misapplied
  • Saraca arborescens Burm.f.
  • Saraca bijuga Prain
  • Saraca harmandiana Pierre
  • Saraca minor (Zoll. & Moritzi) Miq.
  • Saraca pierreana Craib
  • Saraca zollingeriana "sensu Prain, non Miq."

The seeds are eaten by monkeys and squirrels, and Thai people eat the flowers and leaves of one variety of the species.[5]

Note

Saraca is NOT to be confused with Monoon longifolium, the false ashoka native to India, which is a lofty evergreen tree, commonly planted due to its effectiveness in alleviating noise pollution. It exhibits symmetrical pyramidal growth with willowy weeping pendulous branches and long narrow lanceolate leaves with undulate margins. The false ashoka tree is known to grow over 30 ft in height.

References
  1. "Saraca indica L. — The Plant List". The Plant List. 6 January 2015.
  2. "Saraca indica L. — Checklist View". GBIF. 6 January 2015.
  3. Zuijderhoudt, G.F.P. (1968), "A revision of the genus Saraca L. — (Legum. Caes.)", Blumea, 15: 413–425
  4. ‘Asoka’ – an important medicinal plant, its market scenario and conservation measures in India, table 1.
  5. Hargreaves, Dorothy; Hargreaves, Bob (1970). Tropical Trees of the Pacific. Kailua, Hawaii: Hargreaves. p. 5.
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