Almug

Description: English: Most probably on Pterocarpus santalinus. Not sure. Seen in Shivanahalli Bangalore. Date: 16 March 2014, 10:19:10. Source: Own work. Author: Forestowlet.

Description: English: Pterocarpus santalinus seen in Shivanahalli Bangalore. Date: 16 March 2014, 10:08:43. Source: Own work. Author: Forestowlet.

Description: English: Pterocarpus santalinus seen in Shivanahalli Bangalore. Date: 16 March 2014, 10:08:35. Source: Own work. Author: Forestowlet.

Description: English: (Pterocarpus santalinus) red sandalwood tree at Indira Gandhi Zoo Park in Visakhapatnam. Date: 23 August 2016, 13:51:30. Source: Own work. Author: Adityamadhav83.

Family: FabaceaeLocal name(Telugu): Erra chandanm or Rakta chandanam,Red SandersDistribution: Found only in a limited area. Endemic to southern parts of Eastren ghats of Peninsular India.Photographed at Velugonda hills of Eastern ghats.Found in rock crevices of the hilly area.This plant is in red list ; Listed as an endangered plant by BSI and IUCN; As the wood is highily valuable the plants are decreased in number in wild. Included in Appendix II of CITES . Trade of wood, logs, powder and extracts is a punishable crime.Moderate sized tree. Bark blackish-brown,deeply cleft in to rectangular plates, wood extremely hard, reddish black. Leaves alternate, 1-3 foliate,coriaceous,leaf-lets ovate-orbicular, Flowers yellow in terminal racemes or panicles.Calyx short, companulate, sub connate, curved; Corolla 5, standard orbicular, crisped, wings oblique, keels small and oblique; stamens 10, in two bundles of 5 each, ovary sessile, 2-6 ovuled; Pod with a broad wing, compressed, orbicular.

This plant is photographed at Penchala kona deep forest. Pods 4-5cm across, sub orbicular, winged, single seeded, Trees deciduous, 8-12 mts tall , but such large trees are rarely seen. bark dark brown, deeply cleft into rectangular plates, wood dark red. Attractive carvings are made out of wood, and oil from wood has high repute in medicine. The illegal indisciminate exploitation with out proper replacement is a threat to this valuable wood yeiliding tree of Eastren ghats. This trees are found very rarely in the forest.