INDIAN BEECH Pongamia pinnata Papilionaceae
San: Karanj; Hin: Karanja, Dittouri; Ben: Dehar karanja; Mal: Ungu, Pongu; Guj, Mar,
Pun: Karanj; Kan: Hongae; Tel: Kangu; Tam: Puggam; Ass: Karchaw; Ori: Koranjo
Importance
Indian beech, Pongam oil tree or Hongay oil tree is a handsome flowering tree
with drooping branches, having shining green leaves laden with lilac or pinkish white
flowers. The whole plant and the seed oil are used in ayurvedic formulations as effective
remedy for all skin diseases like scabies, eczema, leprosy and ulcers. The roots are good for
cleaning teeth, strengthening gums and in gonorrhoea and scrofulous enlargement. The bark is
useful in haemorhoids, beriberi, ophthalmopathy and vaginopathy. Leaves are good for
flatulence, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, leprosy, gonorrhoea, cough, rheumatalgia, piles and oedema.
Flowers are given in diabetes. Fruits overcomes urinary disease and piles. The seeds are
used in inflammations, otalgia, lumbago, pectoral diseases, chronic fevers, hydrocele,
haemorrhoids and anaemia. The seed oil is recommended for ophthalmia, haemorrhoids,
herpes and lumbagoThe seed oil is also valued for its industrial uses. The seed cake is
suggested as a cheap cattle feed. The plant enters into the composition of ayurvedic
preparations like nagaradi tailam, varanadi kasayam, varanadi ghrtam and karanjadi
churna.
It is a host plant for the lac insect. It is grown as a shade tree. The wood is
moderately hard and used as fuel and also for making agricultural implements and cart-
wheels.
Distribution
The plant is distributed throughout India from the central or eastern Himalaya to
Kanyakumari, especially along the banks of streams and rivers or beach forests and is often
grown as an avenue tree. It is distributed in Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaya, Australia and
Polynesia.
Botany
Pongamia pinnata (Linn.) Pierre syn. P. glabra Vent., Derris indica (Lam.) Bennet,
Cystisus pinnatus Lam. comes under family Papilionaceae. P. pinnata is a moderate sized,
semi-evergreen tree growing upto 18m or more high, with a short bole, spreading crown and
greyish green or brown bark. Leaves imparipinnate, alternate, leaflets 5-7, ovate and
opposite. Flowers lilac or pinkish white and fragrant in axillary recemes. Calyx cup-shaped,
shortly 4-5 toothed, corolla papilionaceous. Stamens 10 and monadelphous, ovary
subsessile, 2-ovuled with incurved, glabrous style ending in a capitate stigma. Pod
compressed, woody, indehiscent, yellowish grey when ripe varying in size and shape, elliptic
to obliquely oblong, 4.0-7.5cm long and 1.7-3.2cm broad with a short curved beak. Seeds
usually 1, elliptic or reniform, wrinkled with reddish brown, leathery testa.
Agrotechnology
The plant comes up well in tropical areas with warm humid climate and well
distributed rainfall. Though it grows in almost all types of soils, silty soils on river banks are
most ideal. It is tolerant to drought and salinity. The tree is used for afforestation, especially