CEDRELA
TOONA
Family – Meliaceae
Scientific name – Cedrela toona
COMMON NAMES:
1) It is named as Tun or Toon.
2) Cedrela is from the latin Cedrus, the
Cedar, and is given on account of the scented wood.
3) Toona a latinized form of the vernacular name.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
1) This tree is a large deciduous tree.
2) It has smooth bark in young trees,
afterwards cracking longitudinally and transversely and exfoliating in
irregular scales.
3) Leaves 1-2 feet long, consisting of 4-15
pairs of leaflets, with occasionally a terminal leaflets in addition.
4) Flowers 0.5 inch long, honey-scented,
yellowish-white, in drooping bunches.
5) Fruit is dry and opening with 5 valves when
ripe, thus liberating the seeds and exposing a 5-angled column of soft white
pith which occupies the centre of the fruit.
6) Seeds pale brown, flat, winged at both ends
and very light.
7) From the end of December to the middle of
March this tree is leafless.
8) The young leaves are fine pinkish red but
soon change to bright green.
9) The flowers appear from March to May and ripe
seeds are produced in May to July.
10) The empty fruits remain hanging on the
trees long after the seeds are shed and may be seen when the trees are
leafless.
USES OF THE CEDRELA TOONA:
1) The bark is used medicinally as a tonic.
2) A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers.
3) The main value of the toon is however foe shade
and timber.
4) As it is of rapid growth and easily
cultivated it is much used for roadside tree in moist localities.
5) It reaches a height of 80 feet and girth of
10 feet and under favourable conditions will reach a girth of 5 feet in 30
years.
6) The timber is red, seasons and works well
and takes a good polish.
7) It is durable and not very and consequently
it is much used for furniture.
HABITAT:
1) Throughout India and Burma but only in the
moister tracts especially in ravines, near rivers or swampy places.
