Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth.
കരിവാക


Family: LEGUMINOSAE
Sub-Family: Mimosoideae
English Name: East-India Walnut
Synonym: Mimosa lebbeck L.,MimosasirissaRoxb.
Common Name: Siris tree
Flowering & Fruiting Period: March - December
Distribution: Indo-Malesia and South China
Habitat: Deciduous forests, also in the plains
Uses: The leaves and seeds are used in the treatment of eye problems such as ophthalmia. The bark is astringent. It is taken internally to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and piles. The bark is used externally to treat boils. The flowers are applied locally to maturate boils and alleviate skin eruptions. A red dye is obtained from the bark. The bark contains 7 - 11% tannin and is used locally in India for tanning fishing nets.
Key Characteristics: Albizia lebbeck is a deciduous trees with rough, deeply fissured bark. Leaves are bipinnate, alternate, opposite, margin entire. Flowers bisexual, greenish-white, subglobose heads, in axillary corymbose racemes. Calyx tube funnel-shaped. Petals united infundibuliform, greenish. Stamens many, filaments, green or pink; anthers very small. Ovary subsessile, glabrous. Fruit a pod, flat, oblong, compressed, straw coloured, turgid above the seeded region.