Saraca
(said to be from Sarac, the native American name of the plant). SYN. Jonesia. ORD. Leguminosae. A genus consisting of four or five closely-related species of unarmed, stove trees (or tall, climbing shrubs?), natives of tropical America. Flowers yellow, rose, or scarlet, racemose; calyx segments four, petaloid, closely imbricated; petals absent; stamens three to nine, free; racemes disposed in short, much-branched, often lateral panicles; bracts small, deciduous. Pods oblong or elongated, two-valved. Leaves abruptly pinnate; leaflets coriaceous, often few-jugate; stipules small, caducous. The best-known species are described below. For culture, see Brownia. S. inclinata (curved downwards). fl. yellowish-orange, disposed in fascicled panicles. l. pinnate, with six to eight pairs of oblong leaflets, which assume, when young, a beautiful reddish tint. Java and Sumatra. A very elegant species, closely allied to S. indica.
S. indica (Indian). fl. very rich orange, with much-exserted, crimson stamens.