Saraca asoca

• Botanical Name : Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Willd.
• Synonyms : Jonesia asoca Roxb.
• Common Name : Ashok Tree, Sita Ashok, Sorrow Less Tree
• Plant Family : Caesalpiniaceae
• Plant Form : Tree
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 28
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park, Punit Van, Van Chetana Kendra

About Saraca asoca Plant :

• Habit : A small evergreen tree.
• Leaves : Paripinnate, drooing, leaflets 4-6 pairs, opposite, oblong-lanceolate, acute, base rounded, stipules intrapetiolar, young leaves red in colour, thin and flaccid and hairy, vertically down.
• Inflorescence : Axillary corymbs.
• Flowers :
  • Fragrant, pedicellate, pedicels red, bracteates, bracts red, ovate, bracteoles two, also red.
  • Calyx petaloid, tubular, changing from yellow to orange and red, segments 4, imbricate.
  • Petals absent.
  • Stamens 7-8, much exserted, anthers purple, versatile.
  • Ovary hairy, style curved, long, stigma capitate.
• Fruit : Pod linear-oblong, compressed, 4-8 seeded.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : January - May
• Significance :
  • It is one of the sacred trees of Hindus and worshipped on the 13^th day of the month of Chaitra.
  • The tree is very handsome on account of the beauty and perfume of its flowers.
  • The tree is the symbol of love and is dedicated to kama. It is under this tree, that Gautam Buddha was born.
  • The bark decoction is much used in uterine affections and especially in menorrhagia.