Saraca indica

Ashoka tree
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Saraca
Species:	S. indica
Binomial name
Saraca indica L.[1]
Synonyms[1]
Jonesia asoca misapplied Jonesia minor Zoll. & Moritzi Saraca asoca misapplied Saraca arborescens Burm.f. Saraca bijuga Prain Saraca harmandiana Pierre Saraca minor (Zoll. & Moritzi) Miq. Saraca pierreana Craib Saraca zollingeriana "sensu Prain, non Miq."

Saraca indica, commonly known as asoka-tree, Ashok or simply Asoca,^[2] is a plant belonging to the Caesalpinioideae subfamily of the Fabaceae family. The original plant specimen from which Carl Linnaeus described the species came from Java, but the name S. indica has been generally incorrectly applied to S. asoca since 1869.^[3] It can be distinguished from S. asoca by its non-clasping bracteoles, a lower number of ovules, slightly smaller pods, and a more eastern geographic distribution.^[4]

References

1. "Saraca indica L. — The Plant List". The Plant List. 6 January 2015.
2. "Saraca indica L. — Checklist View". GBIF. 6 January 2015.
3. Zuijderhoudt, G.F.P. (1968), "A revision of the genus Saraca L. — (Legum. Caes.)", Blumea, 15: 413–425
4. ‘Asoka’ – an important medicinal plant, its market scenario and conservation measures in India, table 1.