Acacia chundra, (Roxb.) Wild.

(Syn.A.catechu var. sundra.)
Family:Leguminosae _Mimosoideae
Common Name : Lal Khair
Telugu Name : Sandra

General :

This tree is common in Telengana and Rayalaseema forests. Recommended for plantation in sandy and gravelly alluvium, black cotton soil and shallow stony soil. Identified by short curved stipular spines and rough grayish brown bark exfoliating in long narrow strips.

Flowering :

Pale yellow flowers appear in June-August.
Fruiting :
Fruit ripens in January-March and remain on the tree for long.
Morphology of the Fruit/Seed :
Pods 10 to 14 cms by 2 to 3 cms;thin,straight,flat,acuminate at both the ends, dark brown when mature. Seeds 3 to 8, about 5 mm dia., broadly ovate, compressed, dark greenish brown, smooth, shining with a hard testa.
Seed Collection and Storage :
Branches are lopped, pods collected, dried in the sun, beaten with a stick to separate the seeds and winnowed.
Seed Biology :

No.of pods per kg.

No.of seeds per kg.

Germination percentage

Plant percent

Germination period in days

2,500 to 5,000

30,000 to 38,000

40 to 80

20 to 90

7 to 5
Pretreatment :
Soaking the seed in cooling boiled water for 6 hours.
Nursery Technique :
Sowing is done in February to March, 2 seeds in each polybag. Weeding and watering is done regularly. Germination commences in a week. In June-July, the seedlings are planted out. One seedling is retained per bag.