Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth. ex Kurz

Smallish, glabrous, sparingly branched, semi-deciduous tree, 6-20(-27)m; trunk 10-40 cm ø, with grey bark and large leaf-scars; twigs thick, (as the trunk at least at apex) pithy, later hollow, lenticellate, as the leaf-rachis. Leaves tufted at twig-ends, with a long petiole, ½-2 m; leaflets long petioled, ovate to oblong, acuminate, 4-11 (-15) by 3-9 cm, cuneate, rounded or reniform at the trip-linerved mostly oblique base, underneath distinctly reticulate-veined, with some scattered gland fields near the axils of the nerves and scattered, microscopical scales. Innovations of leaves and racemes viscid. Racemes terminal, erect, ¼-1½ m long, pith of twig-apex, peduncle and rachis partitioned. Pedicels long, with a few bracteoles in lower part, 2-4 cm. Calyx coriaceous, becoming almost woody in fruit, containing water in bud, truncate or irregularly shallow lobed by tearing, campanulate, brown or dirty-violet, 2-4 by l½-2cm. Corolla reddish purple to liver-brown to dirty violet outside, dirty yellowish to pinkish inside, with a foxy stench, 7-10 cm long, the lobes subequal, in young buds strongly folded into a massive apex, ± crisped or undulate-crenate, in flower patent to ± reflexed, outside with scattered patelliform glands, the lobes inside with dense, almost sessile capitate gland-hairs; basal tube wide, widened to base, c. 1½ cm. Stamens inserted in throat, their base long hairy. Style 4-6 cm, dark violet as the sub-entire, large disk. Capsule pendent, 45-120 by 6-10 cm, valves flat, almost woody, finally black. Seeds incl. wings 5-9 by 2½-4 cm.

As the genus. As a consequence of its short-lived, short-sized nomad habit relatively rare in tracts with largely high primary forest, e.g. Borneo. In Malaya chiefly by villages and by rice-fields (CORNER). Also not particularly common in open but seasonally very dry tracts, such as the Lesser Sunda Is. and in teak forest largely confined to mixed forest stands. Fl. Jan.-Dec, according to KOORDERS in Java at the start of the dry season; fr. July-May, the fruit remaining during the dry season on often leafless stems.

Uses. Popular with the Sundanese as a vegetable (lalab), fresh young leaves and flowers; even unripe capsule valves are eaten after being cooked (HASSKARL).In Bawean I. flowers are used against inflammation of the eyes. The bitter bark is chewed in Java for depurative purpose, especially after delivery.In Sarawak used for dyeing rattan of black shiny baskets.In West Java (Priangan) local people are convinced that the tree is a protection of the house against thieves, a superstition probably derived from the sword-like shape of the capsules.

It can be grown from seed or cuttings. It can also be grown from root suckers.