Soga tree
Peltophorum dasyrrachis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows up to 30 m high. The young shoots are brownish red. The leaves are 32 cm long and twice divided. There are 5-9 pairs of pinnae and 6-16 pairs on leaflets on each one. These are 10-25 mm long by 4-10 mm wide. The flowering shoots are 15-30 cm long. The flowers hang in short stalks. They are yellow. The fruit are pods 10-15 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. These are reddish brown and taper towards each end. There are 4-8 seeds in each pod. The seeds are flat and 1-12 mm long by 5 mm wide.

There are about 8 Peltophorum species. They are in the tropics and subtropics. The bark is used in medicine. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in secondary and dense forest on the plains below 800 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Cambodia, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia (country/location of origin), Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa

How it is used for food

The bark is used as medicine.

Edible parts

Bark

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

It grows quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Alai, Araang, Batai, Hoang linh, Jemerelang, Lim vang, Lim xet, Non si, Pohon soga, Sa fang, Sa kham, Sa phang, Sena laut, Trasek, Trorsek, Trosek

Synonyms

Baryxylum dasyrachis Pierre; Caesalpinia dasyrhachis Miq.; Peltophorum dasyrhachis (Miq.) Baker;