Tamarind

Almost all parts of the plant are used, particularly the pulp of the fruit and young leaves which are regarded as important ingredients of many tasty dishes. Pulp of the fruit, seeds, leaves, flowers and bark are also put to various medicinal uses.

A large evergreen tree. Stipules linear, caducous. Leaves 3.5-15 cm long, paripinnate. Leaflets 10-20 pairs, opposite, 1.2-1.8 cm long, c. 3.7-5 mm wide, oblong, obtuse. Inflorescence 10-15 flowered lax raceme. Pedicel 8-10 mm. Calyx c. 1.2 cm long, tube turbinate, teeth lanceolate, the lowest two connate. Petals 3, 1-1.5 cm long, pale yellow, with red veins, the two lower reduced to scales. Stamens monadelphous, 3 perfect, others reduced to bristles. Pods 7.5-20 cm long, 2-2.5 cm wide, slightly compressed, indehiscent. Seeds dark brown or black.

Pantropics in cultivation, possibly native in tropical Africa.

Distribution: Probably native of Tropical Africa, cultivated in West Pakistan.

200-400 m

Fl. Per.: May -June.