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Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kurz

Family Name:	Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Synonyms:	Pterocarpus cambodianus var. parviflorus, Lingoum , Lingoum , Pterocarpus pedatus, Abrus glaucinum, Pterocarpus gracilis var. brevipes, Pterocarpus macrocarpus var. oblongus, Lingoum parviflorum, Lingoum cambodianum, Lingoum pedatum, Lingoum oblongum
Common Name:	Padauk, Burma Padauk, Rosewood, Burmese Rosewood, Angsana, Narra, 紫檀

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Fragrant Plant

Ornamental Flowers

Drought Tolerant

Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Medium (16m-30m))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Rounded
Maximum Height	15 m to 30 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Growth Form: Deciduous tree with a rounded or spreading crown. Leaf fall occurs during the dry season. Habitat: This species occurs in dry, open Dipterocarp forests that are deciduous or semi-deciduous. It is found at altitudes of up to 700 m and locations where annual rainfall is 1,000 - 2,000 mm. Populations have dwindled due to overexploitation for its timber and conversion of forests to farmland. Trunk: Young trees have pale brown, slightly fissured bark, while mature trees have dark brown to grey, scaly bark. The fibrous inner bark is reddish brown and contains scattered drops of red sap. Foliage: Compound leaves (15 - 25 cm long) are odd-pinnate with 7 - 13 alternate leaflets. Leaflets are elliptic with rounded bases and pointed tips (2 - 3.5 cm wide, 4 - 7.5 cm long). Flowers: Pea-like flowers consist of 4 - 5 petals with wavy margins (1.4 - 1.7 cm wide). Flowers are arranged in axillary panicles (a branched inflorescence emerging from the leaf axils) or racemes (spike-like inflorescences with flowers borne on stalks). In the tropics, flowering occurs from February to April. Fruits: Disc-shaped, indehiscent pod with a wavy, membranous wing surrounding its perimeter (4 - 7 cm wide). The central compartment of the pod contains 1 - 4 smooth, brown to red-brown seeds (0.9 cm long). It is classified as a samara. Fruits are produced from July to December. Landscaping: This species provides excellent shade, has strong branches and produces relatively small amounts of litter. Each year, massive amounts of yellow flowers cover the canopy and help to brighten the landscape. It would be ideal as an amenity tree in parks and large gardens. Mature trees grown in clay or wet soils have large spreading roots that could destroy nearby pavement. Cultivation: This species is not commonly cultivated and relatively little is known about its growth requirements. Pterocarpus species typically produce a large number of seeds. Germination will occur faster if the seeds are removed from the fruit. However, extracting the seeds is difficult, so they are often planted while still in the fruit. Seeds should be first soaked in warm water (35 - 40 degrees Celsius) before planting. Plant in well-drained sandy loam. Propagation: Propagate by seed or stem cutting. Etymology: The genus name "Pterocarpus" refers to the winged fruits of species in this genus. It is derived from 2 Greek words, "pteron" which means wing and "karpos" meaning fruit. The species epithet "macrocarpus" comes from the Greek words "macro" meaning large and "karpos" meaning fruit.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Others: Medicine: Tree sap is applied externally to heal diseases of the mouth. The roots are used in traditional medicine. Other: The valuable heartwood is considered a luxury timber. It varies in colour from orange-yellow to reddish-brown and has beautiful markings. It is used to make fine furniture, musical instruments, and decorative objects. The wood contains pterocarpans which inhibit termites and other insects from attacking the wood. The wood is also used as building material, because of its insect resistant properties. The resin can be used to colour items red.

Others - Plant Morphology

Growth Form: Deciduous tree with a rounded or spreading crown. Leaf fall occurs during the dry season. Habitat: This species occurs in dry, open Dipterocarp forests that are deciduous or semi-deciduous. It is found at altitudes of up to 700 m and locations where annual rainfall is 1,000 - 2,000 mm. Populations have dwindled due to overexploitation for its timber and conversion of forests to farmland. Trunk: Young trees have pale brown, slightly fissured bark, while mature trees have dark brown to grey, scaly bark. The fibrous inner bark is reddish brown and contains scattered drops of red sap. Foliage: Compound leaves (15 - 25 cm long) are odd-pinnate with 7 - 13 alternate leaflets. Leaflets are elliptic with rounded bases and pointed tips (2 - 3.5 cm wide, 4 - 7.5 cm long). Flowers: Pea-like flowers consist of 4 - 5 petals with wavy margins (1.4 - 1.7 cm wide). Flowers are arranged in axillary panicles (a branched inflorescence emerging from the leaf axils) or racemes (spike-like inflorescences with flowers borne on stalks). In the tropics, flowering occurs from February to April. Fruits: Disc-shaped, indehiscent pod with a wavy, membranous wing surrounding its perimeter (4 - 7 cm wide). The central compartment of the pod contains 1 - 4 smooth, brown to red-brown seeds (0.9 cm long). It is classified as a samara. Fruits are produced from July to December. Landscaping: This species provides excellent shade, has strong branches and produces relatively small amounts of litter. Each year, massive amounts of yellow flowers cover the canopy and help to brighten the landscape. It would be ideal as an amenity tree in parks and large gardens. Mature trees grown in clay or wet soils have large spreading roots that could destroy nearby pavement. Cultivation: This species is not commonly cultivated and relatively little is known about its growth requirements. Pterocarpus species typically produce a large number of seeds. Germination will occur faster if the seeds are removed from the fruit. However, extracting the seeds is difficult, so they are often planted while still in the fruit. Seeds should be first soaked in warm water (35 - 40 degrees Celsius) before planting. Plant in well-drained sandy loam. Propagation: Propagate by seed or stem cutting. Etymology: The genus name "Pterocarpus" refers to the winged fruits of species in this genus. It is derived from 2 Greek words, "pteron" which means wing and "karpos" meaning fruit. The species epithet "macrocarpus" comes from the Greek words "macro" meaning large and "karpos" meaning fruit.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Others: Medicine: Tree sap is applied externally to heal diseases of the mouth. The roots are used in traditional medicine. Other: The valuable heartwood is considered a luxury timber. It varies in colour from orange-yellow to reddish-brown and has beautiful markings. It is used to make fine furniture, musical instruments, and decorative objects. The wood contains pterocarpans which inhibit termites and other insects from attacking the wood. The wood is also used as building material, because of its insect resistant properties. The resin can be used to colour items red.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Fragrant (Flowers) (Day), Ornamental Flowers
Landscape Uses	General, Shade Providing Tree / Palm
Plant & Rootzone Preference or Tolerance Remarks	Sandy loam

SGMP Treatment

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna) (Associated with: Pollinated by insects, but species unknown (Doungyotha and Owens 2002))
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Abiotic

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Drought Tolerant
Maintenance Requirements	Moderate
Propagation Method	Seed, Stem Cutting

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Deciduous
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Smooth

Foliar Type	Compound (Odd-Pinnate)
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin	Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acute
Foliar Base	Rounded / Obtuse
Typical Foliar Area	Macrophyll ( 182.25cm2 - 1640.25 cm2 )

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Non Palm)	Woody
Bark Colour(s)	Grey, Dark brown
Mature Bark Texture	Scaly

Root Type

Underground (Tap Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	Yellow / Golden
Flower Symmetry	Asymmetrical

Flower Size - Remarks	1.4 - 1.7 cm wide
Inflorescence Type	Panicle
Flowering Period	Hot & Dry Period
Flower Lifespan on Plant	Several Days
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Yellow / Golden
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Samara

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Master ID	1962
Species ID	3254
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.