Trees & Plants

Hongay oil tree

Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre

Planted as an avenue tree in some of the islands A multipurpose tree. The wood is used for making cabinets and cart wheels. The oil from the seeds is used for leather dressing, soap making, lubrication and medicinal or purposes. The oil also has good thermal efficiency as a biodi

Details

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uses: A multipurpose tree. The wood is used for making cabinets and cart wheels. The oil from the seeds is used for leather dressing, soap making, lubrication and medicinal or purposes. The oil also has good thermal efficiency as a biodiesel. The roots are good for cleaning foul ulcers, wounds and gonorrhea. The fresh bark is given internally to get relief from bleeding piles.
family: Fabaceae
synonym: Cytisus pinnatus L., Pongamia glabra Vent.
description: Evergreen trees, to 15 m high, bark grey, smooth, brown-speckled. Leaves for imparipinnate, alternate; rachis 10-15 cm long, pulvinate; leaflets 5-7, opposite, 4.5- × 12 2-7 cm, elliptic-lanceolate, ovate or ovate-oblong, apex acuminate; lateral nerves 5-8 pairs. Flowers purplish-white, 15-18 mm long, in lax axillary racemes. Calyx tube campanulate; minutely 5 toothed. to Petals 5, clawed; standard suborbicular with curved folds above the claw; wings obliquely oblong, slightly adnate above the claws to the obtuse keel petals. Stamens 10, monadelphous, the vexillary stamen free below and above; anthers uniform. Fruit × a pod, 4-5 2-2.5 cm, obliquely oblong, thick, pointed at both ends, indehiscent; seed one, reniform.
native range: South and Southeast Asia
distribution: Australia, South and Southeast Asia
english names: Hongay oil tree · Indian beech tree · Pongam oil tree
flowering fruiting: April – December
occurrence maldives: Planted as an avenue tree in some of the islands