CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

AMALTAS

Cassia Fistula

Botanical name	: Cassia Fistula (L)
Vernacular name	: Amaltas / Kirvara
Family	: Fabaceae (Caesalpinioideae)
About the Tree	: A middle sized tree with spreading canopy, widely cultivated in tropical climes. Amaltas is found in both dry and moist forest of the Indian subcontinent. its natural distribution extends through Myanmar to Indo-China and the Philippines
Height	: 10-20m
Bark	: Bark quite smooth at first, greenish yellow, becoming darker and brown with patches of rough, scabby scales.
Leaf	: Have 4-8 pairs of smooth pointy leaflets on short stalks, young leaves go through a coppery or brown phase.
Flower	: Mostly pollinated by bees .Spectacular bright yellow, 4-6 cm wide in long, drooping. Flowers have long slender stalks, 5 spoon shaped petal, 10 stamens only the 3 longer ones fertile.
Fruits	: A long straight tube like pod up to 60cm long deep brown or nearly black when ripe;
Season	: Leaves are shed in February or march .new coppery brown foliage in may flowers begin in late April along with the first new leaf .fruits ripen in march.
Medicinal Properties Peculiar Character	: Used for tanning leather, to make red dye. Used to treat skin disease, leprosy and as tonic and febrifuge.