Adenanthera pavonina

Family

Mimosaceae

Botanical Name

Adenanthera pavonina L.

Linnaeus, C. von (1753) Species Plantarum 2: 384. Type: Habitat in India..

Common name

Red Beantree; Circassan Tree; Zumbic Tree; Sandalwood, Red; Sandalwood, False Red; Sandal Beadtree; Red Bead Tree; False Red Sandalwood; False Jequirity; Coralwood; Circassian Tree; Barricarri; Bead Tree; Red Sandalwood

Stem

Deciduous; leafless for a period in July or August. Blaze odour resembling that of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Leaves

Leaflet blades about 2-5 x 0.7-2.5 cm, leaflet stalks short, about 0.1-0.2 cm. Compound leaf axis channelled on the upper surface.

Flowers

Corolla about 4 mm long. Staminal filaments about 4 mm long. Anther apex aristate (with a stalked gland). Ovules about 12.

Fruit

Pods about 22 x 1.6 cm. Seeds quite hard. Testa shiny red.

Seedlings

Cotyledons erect, fleshy, obovate, about 10-12 x 8-9 mm. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflet blades elliptic, apex mucronate, base oblique or obtuse; stipules very small, visible only with a lens. A number of very small red glands visible on very young growth at all stages.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NT, CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 200 m. Grows in and on the margins of well developed lowland rain forest and gallery forest. Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and New Caledonia.

Natural History

Raw seeds are an intoxicant. Austin, D. F. 1998. Poisonous Plants of Southern Florida. (http://www.fau.edu/divdept/science/envsci/poison- pl.html)

This species has been used medicinally in India. Cribb (1981).

NT

X

CYP

X

NEQ

X

Tree

X

RFK Code

421