Pterocarpus macrocarpus
| Pterocarpus macrocarpus | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Burma Padauk (Pterocarpus macrocarpus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Tribe: | Dalbergieae |
| Genus: | Pterocarpus |
| Species: | P. macrocarpus |
| Binomial name | |
| Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz |
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| Synonyms | |
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Pterocarpus macrocarpus (Burma Padauk) is a species of Pterocarpus native to southeastern Asia in northeastern India, Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.[1][2][3]
It is a medium-sized tree growing to 10–30 m (rarely to 39 m) tall, with a trunk up to 1.7 m diameter; it is dry season-deciduous. The bark is flaky, grey-brown; if cut, it secretes a red gum. The leaves are 20–35 cm long, pinnate, with 9–11 leaflets. The flowers are yellow, produced in racemes 5–9 cm long. The fruit is a pod surrounded by a round wing 4.5–7 cm diameter, containing two or three seeds.[2][3]
The wood is durable and resistant to termites; it is important, used for furniture, construction timber, cart wheels, tool handles, and posts[3]; though not a true rosewood it is sometimes traded as such.
[edit] Medicine
Constituents of Pterocarpus marsupium have been reported to have beneficial properties for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ International Legume Database & Information Service: Pterocarpus macrocarpus
- ^ a b Danida Seed Leaflet: Pterocarpus macrocarpus (pdf file)
- ^ a b c International Institute of Tropical Forestry: Pterocarpus macrocarpus (pdf file)
- ^ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16719780 Antidiabetic agents from medicinal plants
