Garg ji, My pictures of Karanj.
http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&PdbID=70347 http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&PdbID=70346 http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&PdbID=98823 http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&PdbID=70349 And article Why Karanj is better than Jatropha? http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=845&page=-2 Pankaj Oudhia On Sun, May 3, 2009 at 6:49 PM, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > Good pictures, Sadhana ji. > > Some extracts from Wikipedia link (for pictures/ more details, pl. click on > the link): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pongamia_pinnata > > *Pongamia pinnata* (*Indian Beech Tree*, *Honge Tree*, *Pongam Tree*, > *Milletia > Pinnata*) is a tree thought to have originated in > India<http://mail.google.com/wiki/India> > and is found throughout Asia <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Asia>. While it > is commonly referred to as *Pongmaia pinnata* recent research has > suggested that it should be reclassified to genus *Millettia*. > > *Pongamia pinnata* is a deciduous <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Deciduous> > legume <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Legume> tree that grows to about 15-25 > meters in height with a large canopy <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Canopy> > which > spreads equally wide. The leaves are a soft, shiny burgundy in early summer > and mature to a glossy, deep green as the season progresses. Flowering > starts in general after 3-4 years. Cropping of pods and single almond sized > seeds can occur by 4-6 years. Small clusters of white, purple, and pink > flowers <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Flower> blossom on their branches > throughout the year, maturing into brown > seed<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Seed> > pods. The tree is well suited to intense heat and sunlight and its dense > network of lateral roots and its thick, long > taproot<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Taproot> > make it drought-tolerant. The dense shade it provides slows the > evaporation of surface water and its root > nodules<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Root_nodules> > promote nitrogen fixation <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Nitrogen_fixation>, > a symbiotic process by which gaseous nitrogen > (N2)<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Nitrogen> > from the air is converted into NH4+<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Ammonium> > (a form of nitrogen available to the plant). Withstanding temperatures > slightly below 0°C to 50°C and annual rainfall of 50–250 cm, the tree grows > wild on sandy and rocky soils, including oolitic > limestone<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Oolitic_limestone>, > but will grow in most soil types, even with its roots in salt > water.[1]<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=js&name=js&ver=HYFyTAqnPr8.en_GB.&am=b7EopeS3cCFPDX3i1_Q2SgddRKi7nPs#cite_note-0> > > Known by many names (Panigrahi, Karanji , Calpa, and Ponge, among other) it > is a tree that is well-adapted to arid <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Arid> > zones > and has many traditional uses. It is often used for landscaping purposes as > a windbreak <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Windbreak> or for shade due to > the large canopy and showy fragrant flowers. The bark can be used to make > twine or rope and it also yields a black gum that has historically been used > to treat wounds caused by poisonous fish. The flowers are used by gardeners > as compost for plants requiring rich > nutrients<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Nutrients>. > Although all parts of the plant are toxic<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Toxic> > and will induce nausea and vomiting if eaten, the fruits and sprouts, > along with the seeds, are used in many traditional remedies. Juices from the > plant, as well as the oil, are > antiseptic<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Antiseptic> > and resistant to pests. In addition the Pongamia tree has the rare > property of producing seeds of 25-40% lipid<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Lipid> > content of which nearly half is Oleic > acid<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Oleic_acid> > .[2]<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=js&name=js&ver=HYFyTAqnPr8.en_GB.&am=b7EopeS3cCFPDX3i1_Q2SgddRKi7nPs#cite_note-1> > The seed oil is an important asset of this tree having been used as lamp > oil, in soap <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Soap> making, and as a > lubricant<http://mail.google.com/wiki/Lubricant> > for thousands of years. > > The seed oil has been found to be useful in diesel generators and, along > with Jatropha <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Jatropha>, it is being explored > in hundreds of projects throughout India and the third world as feedstock > for biodiesel <http://mail.google.com/wiki/Biodiesel>. > > 2009/5/3 Sadhna Sharma <[email protected]> > >> Karanj or *Pongamia pinnata* looking beautiful in fresh leaves and >> flower buds. >> >> Much better images by Vinod ji and Satish ji at >> http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/99bf7dcc9ba45bd3 >> >> Best, >> Sadhna Sharma >> >> >> -- >> 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. 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