Delonix elata (L.) Gamble

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Tree 2.5–15 m. high, with rounded-spreading crown; bark rather smooth, buff or grey.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with 2–12 pairs of pinnae; leaflets (8–)11–25 pairs, linear-oblong, 4–17 mm. long, 1.25–4 mm. wide, usually rounded at apex, appressed-puberulous on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of 5–20-flowered (or more) racemes, puberulous to densely pubescent (including the calyces outside).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 1.6–3.8 cm. long, 1.8–4.2 cm. wide; the upper one smaller than the rest, pale yellow; the remainder white; later all turning apricot; all with their lamina ± rounded in outline or shortly pointed at apex and irregularly erose-lacerate and crisped on margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen-filaments (3–)6–11 cm. long, red.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary silky to pubescent or tomentose all over outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 13–25 cm. long, 2.1–3.7 cm. wide.

Figures

Fig. 3/1–5, p. 24.

Habitat

Deciduous thickets and bushland; 430–1400 m., perhaps higher

Distribution

K1 K2 K4 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 U1 in the eastern Congo Republic, and northwards from the Flora area to Egyptalso in Arabia and extending to India

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Tree

Vernacular

Creamy Peacock Flower, Vatham-nairaini, Vatham-rasi, White Gul Mohur, Yellow Gul-Mohur

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Tree 2.5–15 m high with rounded spreading crown and rather smooth, buff or grey bark.

Morphology Stem

Young stems thinly appressed-pubescent to densely spreading-pubescent, later glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves: petiole and rachis together (4)8–20 cm long; pinnae 2–12 pairs; pinna rachis (0.5)1–9 cm long; leaflets (8)11–25 pairs, 4–17 × (1)1.5–4(4) mm, oblong, ± rounded at the apex, asymmetrical at the base, finely appressed-pubescent on both surfaces, sometimes glabrescent above; stipules subulate, up to 3 mm long, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes short, the axis up to 5 cm long and ± densely appressed- or spreading-pubescent, each with about 5–20 flowers; bracts up to 3.5 × 2.5 mm, but usually falling at a very early stage, ovate, densely pubescent; pedicels 1.5–3.5(5) cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium including a narrow basal part 1–4 mm long abruptly expanded above into a conspicuous campanulate part 3–7(8) mm long, the whole on the outside finely pubescent with appressed grey hairs to densely brown-tomentose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 1.2–3.3(4) cm long, lanceolate to oblong, tapering above to an ± acute apex, similar to the hypanthium in pubescence.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 1.6–3.2(3.8) cm long, the upper one smaller than the others and yellow to orange, the others white but fading to yellow or orange, all ± lacerate and crisped at the upper margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen filaments 3–11(14) cm long, bright red, much exceeding the petals.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary shortly stipitate, densely pubescent, often ± sericeous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 13–26 × 2.1–3.7 cm; seeds 8–19, c.15 × 8 × 3 mm, compressed.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/201497/2707261

Conservation

LC - least concern