Rohida

Found up to 1300 m. Parker (l.c.) mentions that it is occasionally cultivated for its showy flowers and may grow to a large size. The wood is said to be fire resistant. The bark is medicinal. The leaves are used as a fodder for goats and cattle. The wood is used for furniture and carving. The seeds are used in the treatment of sores and abscesses etc.

Small tree, 2.5-5 m tall. Leaves opposite, entire; lamina elliptic-oblong to elliptic-lanceolate or linear-oblong, 35-95 x (8-) 10-20 mm, margin undulate, petiole 6-18 mm long. Racemes condensed, 2-7-flowered. Bracts linear, 1.5-2 mm long, stellate pubescent; bracteoles 2, similar, c. 1.5 mm long. Pedicel 13-14 mm long. Flowers large, attractive, orange-red. Calyx campanulate, 12-13 mm long, unequally 5-lobed; obtuse-apiculate, minutely and sparsely glandular-pubescent. Corolla tube broad funnel-shaped, dilated at base; lobes sub-orbicular, 20-25 x 28-32 mm. Filaments of longer stamens 37-38 mm long; staminode 16-17 mm long. Disk cupular-compressed, 5-lobed. Ovary broad linear, c. 4.5 mm long; style c. 40 mm long, stigmas 2, oblong-ovate, compressed, 4.5-5 mm long. Capsule 17-34 x 0.9-1.2 cm, linear-oblong, laterally compressed, slightly curved, apex beaked with wing, 20 mm broad.

Distribution: Arabia, S. Iran, E.Afghanistan, Pakistan & NW. India.

Fl.Per: April-May, but early January/February in the South.

Tecomella undulata is a tree species, locally known as rohida, found in Oman, and from southwest Iran to northwest India. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Tecomella. It is a medium-sized tree that produces quality timber and is the main source of timber amongst the indigenous tree species of desert regions of Shekhawati and Marwar in Rajasthan. The trade name of the tree species is desert teak or Marwar teak.

Tree at the village of Harsawa

Leaves at the village of Gharsana, India

Trunk at Gharsana