မန်ကျည်း

Myanmar Name – Magyi

Common Name – Tamarind

Botanical Name – Tamarindus indica L.

Family Name – Fabaceae

Habitat – Tropical climate and are often found in regions with a distinct dry season. They can tolerate a range of soil types, including sandy, loamy, and clay soils, as long as there is good drainage. Tamarind trees are commonly grown in tropical countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Habit – Medium to large-sized trees, reaching heights of up to 25 meters (82 feet). They have a long, spreading canopy with dense foliage.

Bark – Bark brown to brownish-black, rough with vertical fissures; branchlets warty, tomentose.

Leaves – Paripinnate, alternate; stipules lateral, minute, cauducous; rachis 8-13 cm long, slender, glabrous, pulvinate; leaflets 20-34, opposite, sessile, estipellate; lamina 1.5-4 x 0.4-1.3 cm, oblong, base unequal, apex obtuse, margin entire, glabrous, chartaceous; lateral nerves 10-15 pairs, pinnate, slender, obscure, looped at the margin forming intramarginal nerve; intercostae reticulate, obscure.

Inflorescence – Small cluster, inconspicuous flowers ,pale yellow to light brown in color.

Flower – Bisexual, 1 cm across, yellow with reddish-pink dots, in lax terminal racemes; bracts and bracteoles ovate-oblong, coloured, cauducous; pedicels upto 5 mm; calyx tube narrowly turbinate, lined by disc; lobes 4, subequal, oblong, imbricate; petals 3, outer one, 1 x 0.3 cm, rolled up, pink dotted, lateral 2, 1-1.5 x 0.7-1 cm, clawed, subequal, oblong-lanceolate, lower pair scaly; stamens 9 monadelphous, only 3 fertile, others reduced to bristle, base pubescent; anthers versatile.

Fruit– Pod 10-15 x 1-2 cm, oblong, fruit wall crustaceous, mesocarp pulpy, endocarp septate, leathery, indehiscent.

Seed – Seeds 3-8 or more, obovoid-orbicular, compressed, brown.

Flowering and Fruiting Time – Flowering in May to June and fruiting in July to October.

Usage – Consumer goods red stripe boat Also used in carts and construction.