Chloroxylon swietenia, DC.

Family: Meliaceae

General :

Common in all the dry deciduous forests of Andhra Pradesh, i.e., Telagana forest, Nallamalai and Seshachalam hill ranges. Recommended for plantations in very poor soils and areas subjected to high temperature good drainage and soil containing large proportion of sand and gravel. Identified by thick, soft, light yellow coloured spongy bark and unequal sided gland-dotted leaflets.

Flowering :

Panicles of small cream coloured flowers appear in March-April.

Fruiting :

Fruit ripens ;from May to August.

Morphology of the Fruit/Seed :

Capsules oblong (2.5 to a4.5 cms long), dark brown when ripe; coriaceous, 3-cellesd, seeds brown, with a broad wing at one end; about a4 in each cell.

Seed Collection and Storage :

The mature fruits before dehiscing are collected and dried to get the seeds. The seeds should be stored in a clean dry place in gunny bags. Seed looses viability quickly.

Seed Biology :

Pretreatment:

Not essential.

Nursery Technique :

The species is; not much utilized in plantation work. However, 1 to 2 years old seedlings can be planted. Seeds if sown, starts germination within 15 days. Seedlings are delicate and require shade in first few months.