Many thanks for this enlightenment, Gurcharan ji. May have to dig and check what we have in our own collections. Regards. Dinesh
On Sat, Dec 10, 2011 at 10:51 AM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]>wrote: > Dear friends > The fact that Flora of British India described the sacred Ashok tree under > the name Saraca indica L., and Jonesia asoka Roxb. as its synonym, has > often led many to believe that perhaps Saraca asoka and Saraca indica are > the same tree and synonyms, the fact is not exactly so. > > As it appears the Sacred Indian Ashok tree was decribed by Roxburgh under > the name Jonesia asoka, but the name got ignored because earlier Beddome > (1870) in Fl. Sylv. and later Baker in FBI (1878) thought this to be same > as Saraca indica L., described by Linnaeus, and the name Saraca indica L. > continued to be used from this important sacred tree. > > It was De Wilde in 1967 who established that Indian plant is distinct from > Saraca indica L., and made a new combination Saraca asoka (Roxb.) De Wilde, > based on Jonesia asoka Roxb., and that is now the accepted name for our > tree, quite distinct and not synonymous with Saraca indica L. > > Whereas Saraca asoka (Roxb.) De Wilde is native of South India, Bangladesh > and Western Myanmar, it has been introduced in other parts of India and > other countries of SE Asia and Tropical Africa. > > Saraca indica L., on the other hand is native of Laos, Thailand; Vietnam, > Indonesia, Java, Sumatra and Malaysia. but is reported (Flora Ceylone) > to be introduced into India (along with Saraca declinata (Jacq.) Miq. and > Saraca thaipingensis Cantley ex Prain). Perhaps it would be interesting to > > 1. know the difference bewtween Saraca asoka (Roxb.) De Wilde and Saraca > indica L. > 2. Locate, photograph and upload real Saraca indica L. > > Alo if any one is lucky to find other two species, also introduced in > India. > > Who knows it may be among some of our photographs. > > -- > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > Retired Associate Professor > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > >
