Golden Shower Tree
1366092
222870098
2008-07-01T14:46:11Z
Jmgarg1
5000468
added pictures & re-arranged for better effect
:"Cassia fistula"'' redirects here. This [[taxon]] can also refer to other [[species]]; see [[#Taxonomy|below]].
:''"Canafistula" redirects here. This can also refer to [[Maloxo]] (''Albizia inundata'').
{{Taxobox
| name = Golden Shower Tree
| image = konnamaram.JPG
| image_width = 270px
| image_caption = Golden Shower Tree in bloom
| status = NE
| status_system = iucn3.1
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| subclassis = [[Rosidae]]
| unranked_ordo = [[Eurosids I]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Caesalpinioideae]]
| tribus = [[Cassieae]]
| subtribus = [[Cassiinae]]
| genus = ''[[Cassia (genus)|Cassia]]''
| species = '''''C. fistula'''''
| binomial = ''Cassia fistula''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| synonyms =
Many, see [[#Taxonomy|text]]
}}
[[Image:Flowers Im IMG 8359.jpg|thumb|202px|right|''Amaltās'' [[inflorescence]]s, [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].]]
The '''Golden Shower Tree''' ('''''Cassia fistula''''' as described by [[Linné]]{{Fact|date=December 2007}}<!-- Linnés original descr. -->, and see [[#Names and taxonomy|below]] for other names) is a [[flowering plant]] in the family [[Fabaceae]], native to southern [[Asia]], from southern [[Pakistan]] east through [[India]] to [[Myanmar]] and south to [[Sri Lanka]].
__TOC__
[[Image:Amaltas (Cassia fistula) leaves in Hyderabad, AP W 289.jpg|thumb|left| leaves in [[Hyderabad, India]]. ]]
It is a medium-sized [[tree]] growing to 10-20 m tall with fast growth. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[deciduous]] or semi-[[evergreen]], 15-60 cm long, pinnate with 3-8 pairs of leaflets, each leaflet 7-21 cm long and 4-9 cm broad. The [[flower]]s are produced in pendulous [[raceme]]s 20-40 cm long, each flower 4-7 cm diameter with five yellow petals of equal size and shape. The [[fruit]] is a [[legume]] is 30-60 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm broad, with a pungent odour and containing several [[seed]]s. The seeds are poisonous.
==Cultivation and uses==
''Cassia fistula'' is widely grown as an [[ornamental plant]] in tropical and subtropical areas. It blooms in late spring (May on the northern, November on the southern hemisphere) mor ; flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flora, with almost no leaf being seen. Not recommended for dry climates. Growth is best in full sun on well-drained soil; it is drought and salt tolerant, but will be damaged by even short spells of freezing weather. It can be subject to [[mildew]], [[leaf spot]] and root diseases.
In [[Ayurvedic medicine]], Golden Shower Tree is known as '''''aragvadha''''' ("disease killer"). Its fruitpulp is used as mild [[laxative]], against [[fever]]s, [[arthritis]], ''vatavyadhi'' ([[nervous system]] diseases), all kinds of ''rakta-pitta'' (bleeding, such as [[hematemesis]] or [[hemorrhages]]), as well as [[cardiac]] conditions and [[stomach]] problems such as [[acid reflux]]. The root is considered a very strong [[purgative]], and self-medication or any use without medical supervision is strongly advised against in Ayurvedic texts.
Though its use in [[herbalism]] is attested to since millennia, there has been rather little research in modern times. While the purgative action is probably due to abundant 1,8-dihydroxy[[anthraquinone]] and derivates thereof, whether the reputed [[nervous system]] (anti-''vatavyadhi'') effects are real and if, what causes them, is not known. While many [[Fabaceae]] are a source of potent [[entheogen]]s and other [[psychoactive]] compounds (see e.g. [[tryptamine]]s), such plants are rarely found among the [[Caesalpinioideae]].
The golden shower tree is the [[national flower]] of [[Thailand]]; its yellow leaves symbolize [[Chakri Dynasty|Thai royalty]]. A 2006-2007 flower festival, the [[Royal Flora Ratchaphruek]], was named after the tree, which is most often called ''dok khuen'' or ''ratchaphruek'' in Thailand<ref name = mmpnd2005>MMPND (2005)</ref>.
The golden shower tree is the [[state flower]] of [[Kerala]] in [[India]]. The flowers are of ritual importance in the [[Vishu]] festival of ''Kerala'' state of India, and the tree was depicted on a 20 [[Indian rupee]]s stamp. ''C. fistula'' is also featured on a 2003 joint [[Canada|Canadian]]-Thai design for a 48 [[Canadian cent|cent]] stamp, part of a series featuring [[national emblem]]s.
==Names and taxonomy==
Being so conspicuous and widely planted, this tree has a number of common names. In [[English (language)|English]], it is usually known as '''Golden Shower Tree''' or '''Golden Shower Cassia'''. Other, less unambiguous names include '''Indian [[laburnum]]''', '''"golden shower"''' or '''"[[drumstick tree]]"'''. It is known in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking countries as '''''caña fistula'''''.
Names from its native range and surrounding regions include:<ref name = mmpnd2005 />
* [[Chinese language|Chinese]]: '''''ā bó lè''''' (阿勃勒: Taiwan), '''''là cháng shù''''' ("sausage tree", 腊肠树)
* [[Hindi]]: '''''bendra lathi''''' (or ''bandarlauri''), '''''dhanbaher''''' (or ''dhanbohar''), '''''girimaloah'''''
* Hindi and [[Urdu]]: '''''amaltās''''' (अमलतास)
* [[Japanese language|Japanese]]: '''''nanban saikachi''''' (ナンバン サイカチ)
* [[Lao language|Lao]]: '''''khoun'''''
* [[Marathi]]: '''''bahava''''' (बहावा)
* [[Malayalam]]: '''''kanikkonna''''' (or ''kani konna'' കണിക്കൊന്ന: Kerala), '''''Vishu konna'''''(വിഷുക്കൊന്ന)
* [[Meitei language|Meitei]] (Manipuri): '''''chahui'''''
* [[Nepali language|Nepali]]: '''''amaltash''''', '''''rajbriksya'''''
* [[Sanskrit]]: '''''aragvadha''''', '''''chaturangula''''', '''''kritamala''''', '''''suvarnaka'''''
* [[Sinhalese language|Sinhalese]]: '''''aehaela-gaha''''' (or ''ahalla-gass''), '''''ekela'''''
* [[Tamil language|Tamil]]: '''''konrai''''' (கொன்ற)
* [[Thai language|Thai]]: '''''chaiyaphruek''''' (ชัยพฤกษ์), '''''dok khuen''''' (ดอกแคน), '''''khun''''' (คูน), '''''koun''''', '''''rachapruek''''' (ราชพฤกษ์)
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Amaltas (Cassia fistula) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 7140.jpg|Flowering tree in [[Hyderabad, India]].
Image:Amaltas (Cassia fistula) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 7137.jpg|Flowers in [[Hyderabad, India]].
Image:Amaltas (Cassia fistula) in Hyderabad, AP W 288.jpg|Flowers in [[Hyderabad, India]].
Image:Cassia fistula1.jpg|flower
Image:Bark I IMG 8357.jpg|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Cassia-fistula.jpg|Flowering branch
Image:Amaltas Fruit Im IMG 3401.jpg|Young fruit in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Amaltas (Dry fruit) Im IMG 3398.jpg|Dry fruit in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
</gallery>
===Taxonomy===
The Golden Shower Tree was named ''Cassia fistula'' by [[Carl Linnaeus]]. The name was erroneously used by [[John Patrick Micklethwait Brenan]] for the [[Kenyan Shower Cassia]], correctly known as ''[[Cassia afrofistula|C. afrofistula]]''. Similarly, [[Francisco Manuel Blanco]] misapplied Linnaeus's name to the [[Apple-blossom Cassia]] [[subspecies]] ''[[Cassia javanica|C. javanica]]'' ssp. ''javanica''.<ref name = ildis2005>ILDIS (2005)</ref>
In addition, numerous [[synonyms]] of ''C. fistula'' exist:<ref name = ildis2005 />
* ''Bactyrilobium fistula'' <small>[[Willd.]]</small>
* ''Cassia bonplandiana'' <small>[[A. P. de Candolle|DC.]]</small>
* ''Cassia excelsa'' <small>[[Kunth]]</small>
:''Cassia excelsa'' <small>[[Heinrich Adolph Schrader|Schrad.]]</small> is a synonym of ''[[Senna spectabilis]]'' var. ''excelsa''
* ''Cassia fistuloides'' <small>[[Collad.]]</small>
* ''Cassia rhombifolia'' <small>Roxb.</small>
* ''Cathartocarpus excelsus'' <small>[[G.Don]]</small>
* ''Cathartocarpus fistula'' <small>[[Pers.]]</small>
* ''Cathartocarpus fistuloides'' <small>([[Collad.]]) [[G.Don]]</small>
* ''Cathartocarpus rhombifolius'' <small>[[G.Don]]</small>
"Cassia fistulata" is a ''[[lapsus]]''.
==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
{{commons|Cassia fistula}}
* {{aut|International Legume Database & Information Service (ILDIS)}} (2005): [http://www.ildis.org/ Genus ''Cassia'']. Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 2007-DEC-20.
* {{aut|Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND)}} (2005): [http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Cassia.html ''Cassia fistula'' <small>L.</small>]. Version of 12/01/2005. Retrieved 2007-DEC-20.
* {{aut|Database on state of environment, Kerala}} (2008): [http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/isbeid/kerala-symbols.htm Kerala Symbols].
{{Symbols of Thailand}}
[[Category:Cassia]]
[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
[[Category:Flora of Thailand]]
[[Category:Flora of India]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[de:Röhren-Kassie]]
[[es:Cassia fistula]]
[[kn:ಕೊಂದೆ]]
[[ht:Kas zabitan]]
[[ml:കണിക്കൊന്ന]]
[[nl:Indische goudenregen]]
[[pt:Cássia-imperial]]
[[th:ราชพฤกษ์]]
[[vi:Muồng hoàng yến]]
[[to:Mafatakikoula]]
[[zh:阿勃勒]]