| Bengali Name : | Debdaru ful (দেবদারু ফুল). |
| Common Name : | False Ashoka, Indian mast tree, Buddha tree. |
| Botanical Name : | Polyalthia longifolia |
| Family : | Annonaceae |
আমাদের দেশে বেশ কিছু গাছ আছে যা সৌন্দর্য বর্ধনের জন্য ব্যবহার হয়ে আসছে। দেবদারু তেমনই একটু গাছ। প্রতিটি রাস্তার আইল্যান্ড থেকে শুরু করে ফুটপাথ জুড়ে রয়েছে এই গাছের দাপট। এমনকি পার্ক বা ছোট হাটার রাস্তার দুই পাশে সারি সারি এই গাছের দেখা পাওয়া যায়। কোন বা পিরামিড আকৃতির কারণে গাছটি দেখতেও সুন্দর দেখা যায়। আর লম্বা ও ডালপালা না ছড়ানোর কারণে অল্প জায়গা নেয় এই গাছ। ফুল ফোটে মার্চ-এপ্রিল মাসে, আর খুব অল্প সময়ের জন্য গাছে দেখা যায়। ফুলের রং আর পাতার রঙ একই রকম হওয়াতে খুব একটা লক্ষ্য করা হয় না। অথচ গাছে ফুল আসে ডালপালা জেঁকে।
In Bangladesh we see this tree very often. In fact it is one of the predominant ornamental trees around the city roads or yards. Sometimes the passages are also decorated with these trees, placed as an array at both sides, like a boulevard. This plant is known as False Ashok or Indian mast tree. It has a binomial name which is Polyalthia longifolia, and belongs to the family Annonaceae. In our language we call it Debdaru (দেবদারু), a literal translation could mean 'the tree of the gods'. This plant is native to the South Asia, more precisely India and Sri Lanka. But vastly seen in our country Bangladesh too.
False Ashok (দেবদারু) is an evergreen tree that grows on a single trunk. It doesn't produce any big branches. The leafs and tiny branches are arranged around the trees. The tree uses to get covered with such dark green leafs from top to bottom. The base of the tree is wider and the top is narrower, giving a shape of cone (or pyramid).
This medium sized tree can grow up to a height of 15 meter. The leafs are linear and long. The leafs are having waved at the both sides (or margins). Arrangement of the leafs are alternate around the tiny branches. The bark of the tree is blackish. I am not sure about the quality of the timber from this tree.
Flowers of False Ashok (দেবদারু) are not very much showy. In fact they bloom around the thick green leafs and the color of the flowers are also pale green. That's why it is very hard to notice the flowers on the tree despite of having numerous flowers during the blooming season (March-April). Flowers bloom as a cluster and usually covers the stem or branch heavily. The shape of the flowers are star-like and having six wavy petals. Flowers bloom directly from the stem of branches of the tree.
As I have already mentioned that I am unsure about the utilization of the timber from tree. But still it is quite good enough to produce match sticks. A fiber can be made from the bark of the tree. The fruits are eaten by the Asian Koyel birds, in fact I have seen a female Koyel was foraging around the trees.
Photos of this article were taken from Bangladesh during April 2015. The exact location was the Gulshan, Dhaka (গুলশান, ঢাকা). This tree is widely available at Dhaka (ঢাকা). But not all trees bring the flowers. I don't know why, may be it requires a certain age to bring the flowers? Or any particular reason?
This article has written by Lonely Traveler,
for the blog http://icwow.blogspot.com/
ফুলের জন্য ভালোবাসা, আমি বুনো ফুল...
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