Delonix regia (Hook.) Raf.

Botanical Name: Delonix regia (Hook.) Raf.

Family: Leguminosae

Common name: Royal poinciana, also called flamboyant tree or peacock tree

Vernacular name in Assamese: কৃষ্ণচূড়া Krishna sura

General characters: A medium-sized deciduous tree with a broad-spreading, flat-topped, umbrella-like crown. This tree is noted for featuring a superb ornamental display of showy scarlet flowers and compound mimosa-like leaves.

Uses: Ornament tree. It has some medicinal properties like anti-diabetic activity, anti-bacterial activity, anti-diarrheal property, Hepatoprotective/Cytotoxic property, anti-microbial and anti- inflammatory activity.

Morus alba L.

Botanical Name: Morus alba L.

Family: Moraceae

Common name: White mulberry

Vernacular name in Assamese: নুনী Nuni

General characters: A fast-growing shrub or moderate-sized tree with a fairly cylindrical, up to 35 m high and 1.8 m in girth, without buttresses; bark dark greyish-brown, rough with vertical fissures; exuding white or yellowish-white latex.

Uses: Leaves are used to improve eyesight, nourish the liver, repel wind, and clear heat. It also aids in treating dizziness, dysentery, supports liver function, maintains youthful skin, coughs and cold symptoms, strengthens blood, treats colic and strengthens eyes. Fruits are edible.

Mesua ferrea L.

Botanical Name: Mesua ferrea L.

Family: Calophyllaceae

Common name: Ceylon Ironwood

Vernacular name in Assamese: নাহৰ Nahor

General characters: The tree can grow over 30 meters tall. Trunk is straight and erect. Bark is smooth and ash reddish brown in color. Wood is red, hard and heavy. Leaves are 8.0-15.0 cm long, oblong-lanceolate, acute, red when young, afterwards shining above and glaucous, rounded at the base and with close inconspicuous veins.

Uses: Flowers are used in treating diseases like rheumatism, asthma, inflammation, fever, dyspepsia, renal diseases, dysentery, bleeding piles, a bacterial and fungal infection.

Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thwaites

Botanical Name: Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.) Thwaites

Family: Annonaceae

Common name: False Ashoka, Mast Tree, Indian Mast Tree, Weeping Mast Tree, Green Champa

Vernacular name in Assamese: দেৱদাৰু Debdaru

General characters: A tall handsome evergreen tree, 12-20 m tall, with straight trunk, undivided, smooth brown greyish bark and slender branches, 1-2 m long, longer at the base up to touch the soil. Leaves are membranous, lanceolate, tapering to a fine point, shining, glabrous, margin undulate or wavy and gland-dotted

Uses: The leaves are used for ornamental decoration during festivals. The tree is a focal point in gardens. It have been widely used in folklore medicine for the treatment of rheumatic fever, gastrointestinal ulcer and generalized body pain.

Mimusops elengi L.

Botanical Name: Mimusops elengi L.

Family: Sapotaceae

Common name: Spanish cherry

Vernacular name in Assamese: বকুল Bokul

General characters: Medium-sized evergreen tree. The leaves are glossy, dark green, oval-shaped, 5–14 cm (2.0–5.5 in) long, and 2.5–6 cm (0.98–2.36 in) wide. The flowers are cream, hairy, and scented. The fruits are fleshy, range in color between yellow and brown, and contain a large brown seed.

Uses: The yellow color pulp is edible. The bark, flowers, fruits, and seeds are used in Ayurvedic medicine in which it is purported to be astringent, cooling, anthelmintic, tonic, and febrifuge. It is mainly used for dental ailments such as bleeding gums, pyorrhea, dental caries, and loose teeth.

Rhynchostylis retusa (L.) Blume

Botanical Name: Rhynchostylis retusa (L.) Blume

Family: Orchidaceae

Common name: Foxtail Orchid

Vernacular name in Assamese: কপৌ ফুল Kopou phool

General characters: Epiphytic herb. It has an erect growth form and can grow up to 50 cm tall. The leathery leaves are recurved and deeply channeled. The flowers are borne on densely flowered, drooping racemes originating from the leaf axils. The flowers consist of white sepals and petals with pink blotches and a pink flower lip.

Traditional Knowledge: The inflorescence is used by Assamese girls to adorn their hair during the spring festival ‘Rongali Bihu’. Among the youths of Assam, this orchid is regarded as symbol of love, fertility and merriment. It is also used in marriage ceremony of the Assamese. Considering its importance the native of Assam grow this species in their home premises.

Medicinal Uses: Plant used in treatment of cuts and wounds.

IUCN status: It is an endangered species.