Albizia odoratissima (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Albizia odoratissima (L.f.) Benth.
- Family: Leguminosae - Mimosoideae
Synonyms
Mimosa odoratissima L.f., Acacia odoratissima (L.f.) Willd.
Vernacular names
- Black siris, fragrant albizia (En)
- Laos: du:x, du:x salen, kh'a:ng h'ung (Vientiane), len (Louang Prabang)
- Thailand: kang khi mot, ma kham pa (northern), khang-daeng (central)
- Vietnam: sóng rậ thơm, xúa (Vinh Phu).
Distribution
From India to Vietnam, including southern China, excluding Peninsular Malaysia. Its presence in Malesia is doubtful. It has been introduced into East Africa and is occasionally cultivated.
Uses
Planted for erosion control, for soil conservation and as shade tree in coffee and tea plantations. Branches are lopped for fodder. Timber is used for indoor construction, furniture and decoration work. The tree produces an insoluble gum.
Observations
Tree with dark green, drooping foliage, spreading crown and short trunk, up to 40 m tall. Bark yellowish-grey. Leaves bipinnately compound; rachis 7-20 cm long, bearing one lower gland 1-2 cm above the base, and one upper gland between the 2 distal pairs of pinnae; pinnae 3-5 pairs, 7-14 cm long; per pinna 10-16 pairs of oblong to obovate leaflets, 1.1-3.5 cm × 0.6-1.2 cm. Inflorescence a head, clustered into hairy terminal panicles 8-20 cm long; flowers 10-15 per head, dimorphic. Pod 16-22 cm × 3.5 cm, flat, leathery, brown, dehiscent, up to 14-seeded. Seed ovoid, 9 mm × 6 mm × 1.5 mm. A. odoratissima occurs in dry deciduous forest and evergreen hill forest, up to 1000(-1600) m altitude. The mean minimum temperature of the coldest month in its natural range is about 22 °C, the mean maximum temperature of the hottest month about 33 °C; absolute maxima may reach 49 °C. Seedlings and young trees are frost-sensitive. Trees coppice well.
Selected sources
53, 61, 119, 149, 172, 174.
Authors
M.S.M. Sosef & L.J.G. van der Maesen
