Caesalpinia sappan L.

ചപ്പങ്ങം

Family : FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (Subfam.: Caesalpinioideae)

Synonym : Biancaea sappan (L.) Tod.

Common Names : Chappangam, Patang, Sappannam, Brazil wood, Sappan wood

Flowering Period : August-December

Distribution : Indo-Malesia

Habitat : Cultivated

Uses : A few drops of wood extract in drinking water is considered refreshing, due to the fragrance and colour it imparts. The dye obtained from the wood is sometimes used to colour food. The heartwood is considered to be antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, strongly astringent, demulcent, strongly emmenagogue, haemostatic, hepatoprotective and hypoglycaemic. It is used in the treatment of bacillary dysentery, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, intestinal and uterine haemorrhages, post-partum haematometra, contusions, wounds, dysmenorrhoea, colic, furunculosis, impetigo, leucorrhoea and parturient's anaemia. A red dye is obtained from the wood. The leaves contain a pleasant smelling volatile oil.

Key Characters :

Trees, to 10 m high, sparsely armed with short straight or recurved prickles. Leaves bipinnate, alternate; stipules spiniform, to 3-5 mm long; rachis 20-40 cm long, slender, pubescent, pulvinate; pinnae 10-14 pairs, 2.5-10 cm long, slender; a spine present at the junction between pinnae pairs on the upper side; leaflets20-40, opposite, subsessile; lamina 1-2.5 x 0.5-1 cm, oblong, base oblique, obtuse, apex obtuse, emarginate, margin entire, glabrous, coriaceous; lateral nerves 5-15 pairs, pinnate, faint, intercostae obscure. Flowers bisexual, yellow, in supra-axillary and terminal racemes; pedicels 1-2 cm long; sepals 5, unequal; petals 5, orbicular, subequal, with red spot at the base; stamens 10, declinate, densely woolly at base; ovary half inferior, grey-velvety. Fruit a pod, 7-10 x 3-4 cm, obliquely oblong, black, glabrous; seeds black, oblong or ellipsoid.