Neolamarckia cadamba

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Neolamarckia cadamba
Tree in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Gentianales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Neolamarckia Species: N. cadamba
Binomial name
Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser
Synonyms
Nauclea cadamba Roxb. Anthocephalus cadamba (Roxb.) Miq. Samama cadamba (Roxb.) Kuntze Anthocephalus morindifolius Korth. Nauclea megaphylla S.Moore Neonauclea megaphylla S.Moore

Neolamarckia cadamba, commonly called Kadam is an evergreen, tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia. The genus name "Lamarckia" is derived from the name of French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.

The Kadam tree grows up to 45 m high. The trunk has a diameter of 100-160 cm, but typically less than that. Leaves are 13-32 cm long. Flowering usually begins when the tree is 4-5 years old. Kadam flowers are red to orange, occurring in dense, globe-like heads of approximately 55 cm. The fruit of N. cadamba occur in small, fleshy capsules packed closely together to form a fleshy yellow-orange infructescence containing approximately 8000 seeds. On maturing, the fruit splits apart, releasing the seeds, which are then dispersed by wind or rain.

N. lamarckia is native to the following areas:

• Southern China
• Indian subcontinent: India (n. & w.); Nepal; Sri Lanka
• Southeast Asia: Cambodia; Laos; Myanmar; Thailand; Vietnam, Indonesia; Malaysia; Papua New Guinea

N. lamarckia is grown as an ornamental, and for low-grade timber and paper. There exist some traditional uses as a medicine. The caterpillars of the Commander (Limenitis procris), a brush-footed butterfly, utilize this species as a foodplant.

[edit] References

• Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat., B, Adansonia 6: 247 (1984).
• ARS-GRIN database: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?410705 retrieved on 29 June, 2007
• Pollard, J.F.,1969. A note on the nursery treatment of two species of Sabah. Malay.Forester 32(3), pp 269-271
• USDA database: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=NECA7 retrieved on 29 June, 2007

[edit] Gallery

Trees in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Flying Fox on Kadamb in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Bark in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.