Pterocarpus indicus Willd.

Lingoum echinatum (Pers.) Kuntze, Lingoum indicum (Willd.) Kuntze, Lingoum rubrum Rumph., Lingoum saxatile Rumph., Lingoum wallichii Pierre, Pterocarpus blancoi Merr., Pterocarpus carolinensis Kaneh., Pterocarpus casteelsi var. ealaensis Hauman, Pterocarpus draco sensu auct. Misapplied, Pterocarpus indica Willd., [spelling variant] Pterocarpus klemmei Merr., Pterocarpus obtusatus Miq., Pterocarpus pallidus Blanco, Pterocarpus papuanus F. Muell., Pterocarpus pubescens Merr., Pterocarpus santalinus Blanco, Pterocarpus vidalianus Rolfe, Pterocarpus wallichii Wight & Arn., Pterocarpus zollingeri Miq.

Fabaceae

Amboyna Wood, Andaman Redwood, Angsana, Beeswing Narra, Blanco’s Narra, Burmese Rosewood, Malay Paduak, Narra, New Guinea Rosewood, Pashu Padauk, Philippine Mahogany, Prickly Narra, Red Sandalwood, Redwood, Tenasserim Mahogany

Pterocarpus indicus is native to Southeast Asia, northern Australasia and the western Pacific Ocean islands. According to Rojo (1972) its western limit is southern Myanmar, extending eastward to peninsular Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Kampuchea to Vietnam and Taiwan, farther eastward reaching the Solomons in the Pacific via Sumatra, West Java, Borneo, Philippines, Sunda Islands, the Moluccas, New Guinea and the Pacific (Ryukyu, Carolines and Vanuatu).

A widespread tree found in lowland evergreen primary and some secondary forest from near sea level to 1,300 m elevation, mainly along tidal creeks and rocky shores (Corner 1988; Rojo and Alonzo 1994; Thomson 2006). It thrives in areas with mean annual temperatures of 22–32 °C and mean annual precipitation of 1,300–4,000 mm. It tolerates low temperatures down to 5–8 °C but is frost sensitive, and it is drought resistant. It grows best in full sun but will tolerate light shade (25 %). Angsana is adaptable to a wide range of soil types including infertile, alkaline, stony soils to deep, fertile, loamy, alluvial soils. It is most commonly found growing in well-drained, sandy to clay loams of slightly acid to slightly alkaline pH from pH of 4.0–7.5. According to Thomson (2006) narra is expected to be damaged (including some leaf scald and drop) by salt-laden winds and is not recommended for planting in the most exposed seaside locations. However, it often occurs near to the sea and presumably has a moderate level of tolerance of foliar salt spray.

Both fragrant flowers and young leaves are eaten in Thailand (Burkill 1966).

A large, tall deciduous tree, 15–30 m high with high buttresses, greyish bark and a trunk diameter up to 2 m. Stipules caducous, linear and pubescent. Leaves imparipinnate, 12–22 cm long, with 5–11 leaflets, rachis and petiolule glabrescent (Plate 1). Leaflet ovate-elliptic, 4–5 by 6–10 cm, chartaceous to subcoriaceous; surfaces concolorous and glabrous, lateral veins 6–8 pairs, margin entire, base rounded, obtuse to acute, apex acuminate. Inflorescence laxly branched panicle (Plates 1 and 2), 10–18 cm long mostly axillary rarely terminal. Flowers few to numerous. Bracteoles 2, linear-oblong, at base of calyx. Calyx campanulate, 5–6 mm long, deltoid lobes hairy inside towards the top. Corolla yellow, petals long clawed; standard ovate-orbicular to oblong, 16–18 mm; wings oblong, as long as standard; keel narrowly oblong, smaller than wings. Stamens 10, diadelphous (9 + 1). Ovary shortly stipitate, oblong, 7–8 mm, densely pubescent with two ovules. Style curved with minute stigma. Fruit orbicular or semiorbicular legume, brown to blackish, densely hairy, 4–6.6 cm across, shortly stalked and broadly winged around margin, wing to 2 cm wide. Seeds reniform, narrow and oblique 2–5 by 8–10 mm, smooth and brownish.