Lovely shot, Vinod ji. Some extracts from Wikipedia link (for pictures/ more details, pl. click on the link): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinaberry
Commonly called *Persian Lilac*, *White Cedar*, *Chinaberry* or *Bead Tree*, *Melia azedarach*(syn. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synonymy> *M. australis, M. japonica, M. sempervivens*), is a deciduous<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deciduous> tree <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree> in the mahogany family Meliaceae<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meliaceae>, native to India <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India>, southern China<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China>and Australia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia>. In South Africa<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa>it is commonly but erroneously called Syringa, which is in fact the lilac genus. The genus *Melia* includes four other species, occurring from southeast Asia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia> to northern Australia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia>. They are all deciduous or semi-evergreen<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen>trees. The adult tree has a rounded crown, and measures between 7 and 12 metres in height. The flowers <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower> are small and fragrant, with five pale purple or lilac petals, growing in clusters. The fruit <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit> is a drupe<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drupe>, marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming wrinkled and almost white. In Australian<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian> rainforests <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforests>, *Melia azedarach*can attain a height of 45 metres. [1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinaberry#cite_note-0> The leaves <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf> are up to 50 cm long, alternate, long-petioled, 2 or 3 times compound (odd-pinnate); the leaflets<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaflet>are dark green above and lighter green below, with serrate margins. They have been used as a natural insecticide<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecticide>to keep with stored food <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food>, but must not be eaten as they are highly poisonous <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison>. A diluted infusion<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infusion>of leaves and trees has been used in the past to induce uterus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uterus> relaxation. The main utility of chinaberry is its timber. This is of medium density, and ranges in colour from light brown to dark red. In appearance it is readily confused with the unrelated *Tectona grandis<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tectona_grandis> * (Burmese Teak). *Melia azedarach* in keeping with other members of the family *Meliaceae <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meliaceae>* has a timber of high quality, but as opposed to many almost-extinct<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinct>species of mahoganys <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahogany> it is under-utilised. Seasoning is relatively simple in that planks dry without cracking or warping and are resistant to fungal infection. Also known as *Ghoda neem* (* Ghoda* meaning horse) in Bengali and *Vilayati* (foreign) neem in Bundelkhand region, *Dharek* in Punjab region and *Bakain* in East Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand region of India. The taste of the leaves are not so bitter as Neem <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem> (*Azaderachta indica*). The hard, 5-grooved seeds were widely used for making rosaries<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosary>and other products requiring beads <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bead>, before their replacement by modern plastics <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic>. Fruits are poisonous to humans <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human> if eaten in quantity.[3] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinaberry#cite_note-2>However, like the Yew <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yew> tree, these toxins are not harmful to birds, who gorge themselves on the fruit, eventually reaching a "drunken" state. 2009/4/10 Suresh C. Sharma <[email protected]> > Nice image Vinod ji. Here is a link: > www.sbs.utexas.edu/.../mel/melia_azedarach.htm > > Regs, > Suresh C Sharma > ______ > > > On 4/10/09, vinod kumar gupta <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Taken in delhi on 20.3.9 >> >> Vinod >> >> >> >> -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
