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Rakta chandan

Local Name	:	Rakta chandan
Botanical Name	:	Pterocarpus santalinus L.f.
Common Name	:	Red sandalwood
Family	:	Fabaceae
Distribution	:	It is cultivated in Odisha. Native to India and found in the southern parts of the Eastern Ghats. Distributed in China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.
Habit	:	Tree
Short Description	:	It is a small deciduous tree native to India, prized for its deep red wood used in furniture, carving, and traditional medicine. The tree is known for its slow growth and valuable heartwood, which is highly sought after.

Descriptions

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with a dense, round crown. Leaves are imparipinnate, have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are broadly ovate or orbicular, coriaceous, and have an obtuse apex that is slightly emarginate. The flowers are yellow, densely arranged in simple or sparingly branched racemes. Pods are obliquely orbicular, including the wing. There is only one seed per pod.

Flowering & Fruiting Period

July-September

Use(s)

The heartwood of red sanders is used as an astringent and tonic.