Sign Up    |     Login    |     Take a Tour    |     Need Help?

Leguminosae-mim Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr. J.

Leguminosae-mim Samanea saman
| | © W.D. Hawthorne

Other images of the same specimen :

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

Keywords in this picture :

Places where this species can be found :

Species information

Description
Small cup-shaped glands between all side stalks except often the 2nd and 3rd, and between most pairs leaflets. The leaflets being to close c. 1.5 hours before sunset, or when the sky is overcast and similarly after sunrise (Corner, 1988)

Interest
Called 'rain tree' because of exudates by homipteran insects feeding in the crown; Saman is a South American plant name. It was widely dispersed in the tropics before the 1870s at least (Coner, 1988). The pulp of the fruits is edible, tasting like caramel. An excellent spreading shade tree; the fruits are more often eaten by cattle. The walnut-like wood is good for carving, e.g. bowls. The leavflets move throughout the day.

Specimen information

Collection Date
21/06/2001

Collector
W.D. Hawthorne, S.Cable & D. Jules

Specimen Number
602

Location
In botanic garden around falls.

Notes
Tree 22 m tall. BARK: rough with adherent retangular flakes, 1 x 2-3 cm. LEAVES: US midrib impressed; LS secs prominant. FLOWERS: white with purple-pink filaments. FRUIT: pods mature. (RHS colour code: Leaf upper =147A, below=146B)

Coordinates
Latitude: 12.050000 N   Longitude: 61.430000 W   Altitude: 170