Bombax ceiba L.

 Local name: শিমলু (Simolu)

Scientific Name: Bombax ceiba L.

Family: Family: Malvaceae

Dept. of Botany, Namrup College

Antidesma ghaesembilla Geartn.

 Local name: হেলচ্

Scientific Name: Antidesma ghaesembilla  Geartn.

Family: Family: Calophyllaceae

General characteristics: 

Uses:

Albizia lebbeck Benth

Botanical name: Albizia lebbeck Benth

Family: Mimosaceae

Common name: Lebbek

Vernicular name: শিৰিষ (স্বৰ্ণচূড়া)

General characteristics: Lebbek is a deciduous, perennial medium-sized legume tree. It reaches 3-15 m in plantations and up to 30 m in the open. Its dense shade-producing crown can be as large as 30 m in diameter. Leaves are bipinnate with 3-11 pairs of bright green, oblong leaflets, 1.5-6.5 cm long x 0.5-3.5 cm broad. Inflorescences are globular clusters of 15-40 white fragrant flowers. The fruits are 10-30 cm long x 3-6 cm broad, reddish-brown pods that contain 5-15 flat rounded, free moving seeds. They produce an incessant rattle in the wind, reminding women's chatter, hence the name "women's tongue" (FAO, 2010; Orwa et al., 2009; Lowry et al., 1992).

Distribution: Lebbek is native to tropical Africa, Asia and Northern Australia. It is widely naturalized within sub-humid, semi-arid tropics and subtropical areas where there is a marked dry season and a reliable rainy season. It is found from sea level up to an altitude of 1800 m (Cook et al., 2005; Lowry et al., 1992; Duke, 1983).

Uses: Good for fire wood. It is generally planted as shade tree in tea and coffee garden (Orwa et al., 2009; Duke, 1983).. Its provide shelter for birds and varieties of inspect. Due to rapid growing nature of the plant, people prefer to plant it in public places for shade. Lebbek is a multipurpose tree. As a fodder tree, its foliage, twigs, flowers and immature pods are relished by different classes of livestock (camels, cattle, small ruminants and rabbits) (FAO, 2010). It is also used planted as timber yielding plant. Lebbek is suitable for agroforestry regimes in which the benefits of animal production are combined with wood production (Lowry et al., 1998).

IUCN status: LC

Dillenia indica L

Botanical name: Dillenia indica L.

Family: Dilleniaceae

Common name: Elephant apple

Assamese name: ঔটেঙা

General characteristics: It is a native plant of China and Asia. In India, it is found in Andaman & Nicobar Island, Assam, West Bengal, Himalayan Region (Barooah & Ahmed, 2014). It is a medium size tree growing upto 15 m tall. Leaves simple, large, alternate or spirally arranged, petioles channeled above, exstipulate or stipulate and its length is about 15-36 cm. Flowers solitary or clusters in terminal racemes, bracts, bracteoles caduceus when present, Calyx 5 toothed, spreading, enlarged and fleshy in fruit. Corolla 5 lobed, white or yellow, usually larger that sepals, caduceus. Stamens free, njumerous, filaments cylondric, anthers linear with parallel loculi, Carpels 5-20, borne on conical receptacle, radiating styules, ovules 4-80. Fruits indehisecent pseudocarps, enclosed by enlarged thick sepals, seeds exarillate (Ganeshaiah and Kailash; Komor & Devi 2016).

Uses: Dillenia indica is widely used in various purposes. Timber is used to make post in traditional house by village people. In rural areas, people use its trunk in construction of local boat. As the fruit is sour in taste, so its use in preparation of various forms of delicious food in Assamese kitchen. Fruit is used in preparation of prickle. It has antidysentric property. In Assam, fruit is cooked with fish and it is one of the popular delicious curries which is called as “Machor Tenga”. The inner mucilaginous part of the fruit is used for hair wash and people believe that it is better than shampoo.  

IUCN status: LC

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.