Acacia (Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.)

Botanical Description

Acacia (Samanea saman), also known as the Monkey Pod Tree, is a large tree with a wide umbrella-shaped canopy. Its trunk grows wide with fissured bark that peels off occasionally as strips of bark. Its leaves are bipinnate with asymmetrical leaflets, due to the deciduous nature of this tree it occasionally sheds its leaves en masse. Its flowers are typical for a mimosoid legume with it being a head inflorescence with distinctly pink and white colored stamens. The flowers eventually give way to a fleshy loment pod with a sticky brown pulp with a black seed, this bears a semblance to the fruits of Sampaloc. 

Uses:

• The fruit can be eaten as is but is also used for creating beverages, it is said to have a sweet taste.

• Bark decoctions used to treat diarrhea and skin ailments. 

• The latex can be used as a glue. 

• The seeds can be chewed on for sore throat relief. 

• The leaves are used to make an infusion for relieving high blood pressure and constipation.