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:''For village of this name see [[Palas Sikar]]'' | :''For village of this name see [[Palas Sikar]]'' | ||
'''Palas''' or ''[[Butea monosperma]]'' or ''[[Butea frondosa]]'' is a tree species of Butea native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and western Indonesia.<ref>[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?8177 Taxon: Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.]</ref> [[Palash]] is also the State Flower of [[Jharkhand]]. | '''Palas''' or [[Palasa]] or ''[[Butea monosperma]]'' or ''[[Butea frondosa]]'' is a tree species of Butea native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and western Indonesia.<ref>[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?8177 Taxon: Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.]</ref> [[Palash]] is also the State Flower of [[Jharkhand]]. | ||
== Variants of name == | == Variants of name == | ||
*Hindi: पलाश (Palāśa) | *Hindi: पलाश (Palāśa) | ||
Revision as of 12:41, 14 July 2015
- For village of this name see Palas Sikar
Palas or Palasa or Butea monosperma or Butea frondosa is a tree species of Butea native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and western Indonesia.[1] Palash is also the State Flower of Jharkhand.
Variants of name
- Hindi: पलाश (Palāśa)
- Punjabi: ਕੇਸੂ,
- Sanskrit: किंशुक (kiṁśuka),
- Telugu: మోదుగ/మోదుగు,
- Kannada: ಮುತ್ತುಗ,
- Bengali: পলাশ,
- Marathi: पळस,
- Burmese: ပေါက်ပင်,
- Khmer: ផ្កាចារ)
- Botanical name: Butea monosperma or Butea frondosa
- Common names: Palash, Dhak, Palah, Flame of the Forest, Bastard Teak, Parrot Tree, Keshu (Punjabi) and Kesudo (Gujarati).
Tree character
It is a medium sized dry season-deciduous tree, growing to 15 m tall. It is a slow growing tree, young trees have a growth rate of a few feet per year. The leaves are pinnate, with an 8–16 cm petiole and three leaflets, each leaflet 10–20 cm long. The flowers are 2.5 cm long, bright orange-red, and produced in racemes up to 15 cm long. The fruit is a pod 15–20 cm long and 4–5 cm broad.[2]
History
The plant has lent its name to the town of Palashi, famous for the historic Battle of Plassey fought there.
Historically, dhak forests covered much of the doab area between the Ganges and Yamuna, but these were cleared for agriculture in the early 19th century as the English East India Company increased tax demands on the peasants.[3]
Usage
It is used for timber, resin, fodder, medicine, and dye. The wood is dirty white and soft and, being durable under water, is used for well-curbs and water scoops. Good charcoal can be obtained from it. The leaves are usually very leathery and not eaten by cattle. The leaves are used by street food sellers to serve food placed on the leaves.
References
- ↑ Taxon: Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.
- ↑ Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
- ↑ Mann, Michael, Ecological Change in North India: Deforestation and Agrarian Distress in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab 1800-1850, in "Nature and the Orient" edited by Grove, Damodaran and Sangwan
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