BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION SYSTEM
Plants of Western Ghats

Acacia chundra



Nomenclature Ecology Morphology Map Utility Conservation

NOMENCLATURE

 
Common Name -  RED CATECHUE/ KATH

Valid Name  -  Acacia Chundra; (Roxb. ex Rottl.) Willd.

Synonyms    -  Mimosa chundra; Roxb. ex Rottl.
               Acacia sundra; (Roxb.) DC.
               Acacia catechue; Willd. var. sundra (Roxb.) Prain

Vernacular  -  Eng. - Catechu, Kath, Red Cutch
               Kan. - Kaggli, Kacu
               Mal. - Karinali
               Mar. - Cal Khair
               Tam. - Karungali

MORPHOLOGY

 
     
     Small  tree.  Leaves 8-10 cm long; stipular  spines  hooked; 
rachis  with small gland between the upper pinnae; petiole  gland 
at the base of 1st pairs of pinnae; pinnae 10-20 pairs, 2-2.5  cm 
long;  leaflets in 30-40 pairs, to 3x0.8 mm. Spike 6-8  cm  long. 
Corolla  white,  thrice as long as calyx. Pod  stalked,  6x1  cm, 
subacute, 3-4 seeded.

Herbarium: KFP 7788, 9797; CIS 12382, 13207; SMA 1015, 4293, 4653

ECOLOGY

 
Habitat       -  Dry Deciduous forest, Scrub, Woodlands

Distribution  -  India, Sri Lanka, Burma
                 India - Peninsular India
                 Western Ghats - Allover foothills and plains,  < 
                 1000m
                 Districts - Nasik, Ratnagiri, Savanthwadi (Mah.); 
                             Uttarakannada, Hassan (Karn.);
                             Palghat (Kerala); 
                             Tamil Nadu;
                             Goa
   
Abundance    -   Locally frequent

MAP

UTILITY

 
Uses       -  General   - Cutch
              Medicinal -

Principles -  Catechin

CONSERVATION

 
Threat Status     -  Moderately threatened

Forces            -  Tree felling for obtaining the heartwood  that 
                     yields `CUTCH'          

Protective Areas  -  All over

Measures          -  The tree has now been banned  from  felling 
                     without permit


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