Golden shower tree (Cassia fistula)

Golden shower tree (Cassia fistula) is a species of plant in the Fabaceae, bright yellow flowers, dropping leaves, up to 20 meters high, branch-free stems about 5 meters, crown wide and spreading, bark pale gray and smooth when young, dark brown and rough when aged.

C. fistula has leaves arranged alternately, compound, even pinnate and 30-40 cm long. Leaf units have 3-8 pairs, 6-20 cm long, 3.5-9 cm wide, elongated ovate and short hairs.





The inflorescences are terminal bunches that hang and are 15-40 cm long. Fragrant flowers and 5 units of petals. The crown is 2-3.5 cm long and is bright yellow in color. The bottom three stamens are S-shaped and longer than the others.

The pods are cylindrical, 20-45 cm long, 1.5 cm wide, hanging, young dark green, dark black and cracked. The inside is divided by partitions into chambers containing 1 seed and each pod contains 25-100 seeds.

The seeds are flat and brown in color, transverse in space, separated by a bulkhead and a kind of sticky flesh and blackish brown in color.

Tengguli grows in tropical deciduous forests, is shade-tolerant, drought-resistant, tolerates rainfall of 480-2720 mm/year, annual temperature of 18-29C and soil pH of 5.5-8.7.

Kolobur is widely used for medicinal and ornamental trees. The pods, seeds, leaves, flowers and bark are used as a laxative, to clean wounds and ulcers, to clean skin fungus, to treat fever and diabetes.

The bark produces bright yellow tannins as a material for making horse shoes or clothing. Good quality wood, durable, strong, solid, heavy, hard, pale yellow to reddish in color and the inner wood is blackish gray. Wood has strong class II and durable class II.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Cassieae
Subtribe: Cassiinae
Genus: Cassia L. in Sp. Pl.: 376 (1753)
Species: Cassia fistula L. in Sp. Pl.: 377 (1753)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Bactyrilobium fistula (L.) Willd. in Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol.: 440 (1809)
Cathartocarpus fistula (L.) Pers. in Syn. Pl. 1: 459 (1805)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Cassia bonplandiana DC. in Prodr. 2: 490 (1825)
Cassia excelsa Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 6: 339 (1824)
Cassia fistula var. ovata DC. (1825)
Cassia fistuloides Collad. in Hist. Nat. Méd. Casses: 87 (1816)
Cassia rhombifolia Roxb. in Fl. Ind. 2: 334 (1824)
Cathartocarpus excelsus G.Don in Gen. Hist. 2: 453 (1832)
Cathartocarpus fistuloides (Collad.) G.Don in J.C.Loudon, Loudon's Hort. Brit.: 167 (1830)
Cathartocarpus rhombifolius (Roxb.) G.Don in Gen. Hist. 2: 453 (1832)

PUBLICATIONS

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Balkrishna, A. (2018). Flora of Morni Hills (Research & Possibilities): 1-581. Divya Yoga Mandir Trust.

Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.

Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K. & Monterrosa Salomón, J. (2009). Nova silva cusatlantica. Árboles nativos e introduciados de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L. Englera 29-1: 1-438.

Boggan, J. Funck, V. & Kelloff, C. (1997). Checklist of the Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, Franch Guiana) ed. 2: 1-238. University of Guyana, Georgetown.

Brako, L. & Zarucchi, J.L. (1993). Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 45: i-xl, 1-1286. Missouri Botanical Garden.

D'Arcy, W.G. (1987). Flora of Panama. Checklist and Index.. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 17: 1-328. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Dy Phon, P. (2000). Dictionnaire des plantes utilisées au Cambodge: 1-915. Chez l'auteur, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe. Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2023). Flora of North America North of Mexico 11(1): 1-541. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

Forero, E. & Castellanos, C. (eds.) (2019). Estudios en Leguminosas Colombianas 3: 1-398. Academia Colombiana de ciencias exactas, físicas y naturales.

Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1979). A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae. Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 15: 41-295.

Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.

Hansen, A. & Sunding, P. (1993). Flora of Macaronesia. Checklist of vascular plants. 4. revised edition. Sommerfeltia 17: 1-295.

Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.

Jones, M. (1991). A checklist of Gambian plants: 1-33. Michael Jones, The Gambia College.

Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánes, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador: 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Kumar, S. & Sane, P.V. (2003). Legumes of South Asia. A Checklist: 1-536. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Lepschi, B. & Monro, A. (Project Coordinators) (2014). Australian Plant Census (APC) Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria. http://www.anbg.gov.au/chah/apc/index.html.

Lock, J.M. & Ford, C.S. (2004). Legumes of Malesia a Check-List: 1-295. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Lock, J.M. & Heald, J. (1994). Legumes of Indo-China a check-list: 1-164. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-List: 1-619. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Meena, S.L. (2012). A checklist of the vascular plants of Banaskantha district, Gujarat, India. Nelumbo 54: 39-91.

Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.

Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.

Sanjappa, M., Pusalkar, P.K. & Mao, A.A. (eds.) (2024). Flora of India 6: 1-556. Botanical Survey of India.

Shaheen, H., Qureshi, R., Akram, A., Gulfraz, M. & Potter, D. (2014). A preliminary floristic checklist of Thal desert Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistn Journal of Botany 46: 13-18.

Sikarwar, R.L.S. (2014). Angiosperm diversity assessment of Chitrakootthe legendary place of Vindhyan range, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 38: 563-619.

Stevens, W.D., Ulloa U., C., Pool, A. & Montiel, O.M. (2001). Flora de Nicaragua. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 85: i-xlii, 1-2666. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Townsend, C.C. (1974). Flora of Iraq 3: 1-662. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.

Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Zhu, X.Y., Zhang, R.P. & He, Y.L. (eds.) (2021). An inventory of legume species diversity of Myanmar: 1-297. China Minzu university press.

VERNACULAR NAME

Aceh: Bak biratha
Alor: Ladao
Ambon: Papapauno
Assamese: Hunaru Phool, Xonaru
Bali: Trengguli
Bengali: অমুলতাস - সোনালী - বন্দরলতি - সোনালু - বান্দর লাঠি Amultas, Sonali, Bandarlati, Sonalu, Bandar lathi
Bugis: Pong raja
Chinese (simplified): 腊肠树
Chinese (traditional): 豬腸豆 - 臘腸樹 - 阿勃勒 - 波斯皂莢 - 阿梨 - 槐花青 - 阿勒勃 - 金雨樹
Czech: Kasie obecná
Danish: Rørkassia
Dayak: Tilai
English: Golden shower tree, Golden shower, Purging cassia, Indian laburnum, Pudding-pipe tree
Filipino: Fistula, Kana-pistula, Bitsula
Finnish: Kultasadekassia
Flores: Kluwang
French: Cassier
German: Röhren-Kassie
Guangdong: 臘腸樹 - 豬腸豆
Guaymí: Chambra
Gujarati: Garmalo
Hebrew: כסית האבוב
Hindi: सोंहली - अमरतास - सुंदरराज - गिरिमाला - बेंद्रा लाठी - बंदरलौरी - धनबहेर - धनबोहर - गिरिमालोआ Amaltas, Sonhali, Amartas, Sundaraj, Girimalah, Bendra lathi, Bandarlauri, Dhanbaher, Dhanbohar, Girimaloah
Hong Kong: 臘腸樹 - 豬腸豆
Indonesia: Tengguli, Trengguli, Kayu raja
Japanese: ゴールデンシャワー - ナンバンサイカチ
Java: Trengguli
Kannada: Kakke mara, Konde mara, Aaragu, Aaragina
Khmer: រាជព្រឹក្ស - រាជស្ពឺ - រាជឆពឿស Reachapreuk, Reach speu, Reach chhpoeus
Lao: ຄູນ Khoun
Lithuanian: Ilgavaisė kasija
Macao: 臘腸樹 - 豬腸豆
Madura: Kolobur, Klobop
Makassar: Kayu raja
Malayalam: Kani Konna, Vishu konna, Kanikkonna, Kritamalam, Swarnaviram
Malaysia: Bereksa, Tengguli, Bereksa, Rajah kayu
Maluku: Papapauno
Manipuri: Chahui, Chaohei
Marathi: Bahava
Meitei: Chahui
Melayu: Kayu raja
Mizo: Ngaingaw
Nepali: अमलतास - राजवृक्ष - राजवृक्ष - अमलतास Amaltash, Rajbriksya, Raajavriksh, Amalataas
Oria: Sonari, Sunari, Argavada, Barachakunda, Bhalutherga, Bhahetherga
Oriya: Sunari
Palauan: Korriu
Polish: Strączyniec cewiasty
Portuguese: Cássia-imperial
Rote: Bubuni
Russian: Кассия трубчатая
Sangie: Limbalo
Sanskrit: Aragvadha, Aaragvadh, Aragwadha, Chaturangula, Kritamala, Suvarnaka, Raajavriksha, Shampaak, Chaturangul
Sinhala: එහේලා - අහෙලා-ගහ - එකෙලා Ehela, Aehaela-gaha, Ekela
Slovak: Kasia rúrkovitá
Spanish: Caña Fístula, Lluvia de oro asiática
Sumba: Ketoka
Sunda: Bobondelan
Taiwan: 阿勃勒
Tamil: கொன்றை - கொன்னை - சரக்கொன்றை Konrai, Konnei, Sarakkonrai
Telugu: Raela, Rela, Rela Chettu
Thai: คูน
Urdu: املتاس Amaltas

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