Andira inermis (W. Wright) Kunth ex DC.

Etymology	Genus	From the Brazilian common name for these trees
	Species	Non-spiny
Family		Fabaceae
Synonyms		Andira jamaicensis (Wright) Urb., Geoffroea inermis Wright
Common Names		Brown Heart, Cabbage Tree, Angelin
Status		Exotic: Casual
Form		Tree
Native Distribution		Tropical Africa and America

Diagnostics:

Andira inermis is a cultivated tree with a dense crown. The distinctive feature comes from its imparipinnate compound leaves, and that each leaflet has very wavy margins. The inflorescence come in a cluster of tiny purple flowers situated terminally at the branches.

Interesting Facts:

The Brown Heart is first introduced into the Botanic Gardens, and subsequently a common roadside tree (Rao & Wee, 1989). However, its popularity have declined because of its susceptibility to basal rot, and therefore it is being gradually phased out from the streetscape (Wee, 2003). Bats feed on the succulent husk of the fruits and thus aid in their dispersal (Wee, 2003).

References

Rao AN & WC Wee (1989) Singapore Trees. Singapore Institute of Biology, Singapore. 357 pp.
Wee YC. (2003) Tropical Trees and Shrubs: A Selection for Urban Planting. Sun Tree Publishing, USA. 392 pp.


Author: Siyang
Posted: 2013-06-06 / Modified: 2017-12-25