Pongamia pinnata

Systematic Classification:

Division   : Angiospermeae
Class      : Dicotyledonae
Order      : Fabales
Family     : Fabaceae
Genus      : Pongamia
Species    : pinnata

Common Name:

Minnari, Ungu, Pungu

General Information:

Evergreen trees, to18 m high, bark 10-12 mm thick, surface grey, smooth, speckled with brown; blaze-yellow; branchlets lenticellate. Leaves imparipinnate, alternate; stipules lateral, small, oblong, cauducous; rachis 10-15 cm long, slender, pulvinate, pubescent; leaflets 5-7, opposite, estipellate; petiolule 6-10 mm; slender, pubescent; leaflet 4.5-12 x 2-7 cm, elliptic-acuminate, elliptic-lanceolate, ovate or ovate-oblong, apex acuminate, margin entire, glabrous, chartaceous; lateral nerves 5-8 pairs, pinnate, ascending, slender, faint; intercostae reticulate, obscure.

Flowers bisexual, purplish-white, 15-18 mm long, in lax axillary racemes, axis pubescent; bracts small, cauducous; calyx tube campanulate; minutely 5 toothed, apex truncate; corolla exserted; petals 5, clawed; standard suborbicular with curved folds above the claw; wings obliquely oblong, slightly adnate above the claws to the obtuse keel petals which are joined near the tip; stamens 10, monadelphous, the vexillary stamen free below and above; anthers uniform; ovary subsessile, inferior, 1-celled, ovules 2; style in curved, beardless; stigma capitate. Fruit a pod, 4-5 x 2-2.5 cm, obliquely oblong, flat, thick, pointed at both ends, indehiscent, slightly falcate; seed one, reniform.