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Large and handsome stands this shady tree
Well known for its fruit with numerous uses, the Tamarind is a large and handsome tree with spreading branches and billowing foliage. The trunk is sometimes buttressed, the bark dark, almost black and covered with fissures and cracks.

The leaves are pinnate and give the tree a feathery appearance. At times, the tree sheds some of its leaves but it is never completely bare. When the fresh leaves appear the tree has a brilliant green cover and there is hardly a branch or twig to be seen.

The flowering season is in May and June. The flowers are small and scented and appear in terminal sprays. They are creamy yellow and are interspersed with the crimson buds which make a pretty sight. The pods are sickle-shaped, like thick beans. At first they are green, but later a felt-like material forms over the green and makes them brownish. The seeds are covered by a fibrous pulp, sometimes brown, sometimes red. The fruiting season is primarily between January and February.

The Tamarind tree is very useful. The pulp is used for curries and preserves and to make cooling beverages such as sherbert. In Jaffna it is commonly used to make a brine for preserving fish. It has medicinal properties too and is used as a laxative. The seeds are traditionally used as a substitute for wheat or other flour. They can be ground into a powder and boiled to form a paste that makes a strong cement. The seeds can also be used to make a cereal starch that is used for starching cotton and jute fabrics.

The leaves and flowers of the Tamarind are edible. The leaves are used to make a poultice for boils. Tamarind wood is hard and is prized even though it is difficult to work. The wood is a beautiful red and is used for making wheels, furniture and sugar mills etc. The tree is also planted for its ornamental value and to provide shade. It is commonly seen along roadsides especially in the drier areas.

The name Tamarind comes from the Persian tama-i-Hindi which means Indian date. The Sinhala name is Siyambala and the Tamil is Puliyem. The scientific name is Tamarindus indica. The Tamarind originated from Africa but is now naturalised throughout Sri Lanka, India and the Burma.
Compiled by: Ruk Rakaganno - 2554438; email: rukraks@sltnet.lk

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