Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. | |
Fabaceae | |
Kodukkapuli | |
| Botanical Name | Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. |
| Synonyms | Albizia dulcis. (Roxb.) F. Muell.; Inga javana DC. |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Common Name | English : Madras thorn / Tamil : Kodukkapuli |
| Distribution | Global : Native of tropical America, Throughout tropics. Indian : Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam |
| Description | Tree up to 10 to 15 m height. Bark ash to grey color, thon presents. Leaves Bipinnate compound, pinna with single pair of ovate-oblong leaflets, Petiole short. Inflorescence terminal raceme, reach about 12 cm in length and appears shorter due to coiling. Flowers are greenish-white, globular, fragrant, sessile. Fruit pod, coiled, green at young and turns red at ripe, expose seeds with an edible white pulp. Seeds many, black, shiny. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | March - April/ May - June |
| Uses | Fruit pulp edible, Nectar source, Fix atmospheric nitrogen and Timber. |
| Medicinal Uses | Used to treat gum ailments, toothache and bleeding, Boosts Immune,the bark of the root is a good remedy for diarrhea and dysentery, Fruit pulp good remedy for diabetics. |
| Tamil Name | Kodukkapuli |