Pithecellobium dulce, Benth.
(Syn. Mimosa dulce ; Inga dulce)
Family : Leguminosae - Mimosoideae
Common Name : Madras thorn, Manila tamarind
Local Name : Simachinta

General :

This tree is indigenous to hot regions of Mexico and Central America and now has been naturalised in India. It grows on a variety of soils. It is identified by grey lenticelled stem, and bipinnate leaf (pinnae and leaflets each one pair).

Flowering :

Flowers in small globose sessile on short pedunculate heads, arranged in a long panicled racemes appear in January to March.

Fruiting :
Fruits ripen in March to May.
Morphology of the Fruit / Seed :
Pods 10 to 15 cms long and 1.2 cms thick, turgid, moniliform, coiled during development, pale green. Seeds 5 to 9, shining black, 2 cms long, embedded in thick pinkish pulp.
Seed Collection and Storage :
The ripe pods are collected, dried in sun and thrashed to get the seeds. Seeds do not store well and hence fresh seeds are sown.
Seed Biology :
No. of seeds per Kg.
Germination percentage
Plant percent
No. of seedlings per Kg. of seed
6400
80
50
3230
Pretreatment :
Not required.
Nursery Technique:

Fresh seeds are sown in polybags in April and germination is noticed within 7 to 10 days. The growth of the seedlings is fast. In July-August, the seedlings can be planted out in the field.