Family : Fabaceae

Synonyms : B.frondosa

English : Flame of the forest, Bastard tree

Hindi : Dhak, Palash

Gujarati : Khakro, Kesuda

Sanskrit : Palashah, Kinshuka

Part used : Seed

Botanical Description: A medium sized decidious tree, very conspicous, 12-15m in height with gum containing grey bark, exfoliating in irregular pieces and somewhat crooked trunk; leaves 3 foliate leaflets coriaceous, obtuse, glabrous above when old, finely silky and conspicously reticulately veined beneath; flowers bright red, large in rigid racemes; fruit pods thickened at the sutures containing a red seed.

It is found throughout India.

Modern Pharmacological Action:Butea monosperma is used as tonic, astringent, aphrodisiac and diuretics Roots are useful in filariasis, night blindness, helminthiasis, piles, ulcer and tumours. It is reported to possess antifertility, aphrodisiac and analgesic activities. Flowers are useful in diarrhoea, astringent, diuretic, depurative and tonic. The stem bark is useful in indigenous medicine for the treatment of dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentery, ulcer, sore throat and snake bite.