Pterocarpus
(from pteron, a wing, and karpos, a fruit; the pods are girded by a broad wing). ORD. Leguminosae. A genus comprising about fifteen species of unarmed, stove trees, inhabiting the tropical parts of Asia, Africa, and America. Flowers yellow, rarely mixed with violet and white, often showy, disposed in simple or paniculate, loose, axillary or terminal racemes; calyx turbinate at base; standard orbicular or broadly ovate; wings oblique, obovate or oblong; petals glabrous. Pods compressed, indehiscent, orbiculate or ovate, rarely oval-oblong. Leaves alternate, impari-pinnate; leaflets alternate or irregularly opposite, exstipellate. For culture of the under-mentioned species, see Dalbergia.
P. dalbergioides (Dalbergia-like). A synonym of P. indicus. P. Draco (dragon). Dragon Gum-tree. fl. yellow, in paniculate racemes; panicles short, loose. May. Pods 1 1/2in. in diameter. l., leaflets 2in. to 4in. long, ovate or oblong, acuminate, shining h. 30ft. Tropical America, 1820.
P. flavus (yellow). A form of P. indicus.
P. indicus (Indian). Burmese Rosewood. fl. yellowish; racemes axillary, simple or branched. May. Pods acutely mucronate. l., leaflets from five to nine, alternate, acute, glabrous. h. 30ft. East Indies, 1813. (B. F. S. 23.) SYN. P. dalbergioides. P. flavus is regarded, by Bentham, as merely a form of this species.
P. Marsupium (pouched). fl. pale yellow, disposed in terminal panicles. April. l., leaflets from five to seven, alternate, elliptic, somewhat emarginate, coriaceous, glabrous. h. 40ft. Coromandel, 1811. (B. F. S. 21; B. M. Pl. 81.) P. Rohrii (Rohr's). fl. yellow, in simple or slightly-branched, tomentose racemes; pedicels shorter than the calyx. April. Pods sub-orbiculate, about 2in. in diameter. l., leaflets very variable, five to nine, ovate or oblong, acuminate, glabrous, 3in. to 5in. long. h. 20ft. Tropical America, 1816.