Cassia fistula: cassia stick tree, golden rain, golden shower, golden shower senna, golden shower tree, Indian laburnum, pudding pine tree, pudding pipe tree, purging cassia, purging fistula

Common Names:

in English: cassia stick tree, golden rain, golden shower, golden shower senna, golden shower tree, Indian laburnum, pudding pine tree, pudding pipe tree, purging cassia, purging fistula

in East Africa: mkemini, mkwisimkwi

in Latin America: cana fistula, cañafistula, lluvia de oro, tapira-coinana

in Burma: mai lum, ngujat, pwabet

in Cambodia: reach, reach chhpoeus, reach speu

in China: a po le, chang kuo tzu shu, huai hua ching, la chang shu, po luo men zao jia

in India: aehaela-gaha, ahalla, ahalla-gass, amalta, amaltas, amaltis, amultas, amulthus, aragvadhah, aragwadha, arakvadam, aragbadhu, aragbhada, aragvadha, aragvadhamu, aragwadha, badar lauri, bahava, bahawa, bandar lahari, bandar-lauri, bandar leodi, bandarlauri, bhalmusare, bhava, bundarlati, campikapakam, campurakam, campuvakku, canipakam, canipakamaram, canippakam, carakkonnai, cataimuti, cataimutikkottu, catakavanni, caturankulam, chimkani, conna, contalu, cutareccati, cuvarnakam, dhambabar, dhan-bahera, dhanba, dhodri, ekela, funnel mara, garmala, garmalo, gawkngu, girimalah, girimaloah, girmalah, gurmala, hanalu-araung, hare, hari, haunaru-araung, icalil, icanarani, icankoti, icanrar, ikali, ikuli, ilacatcacam, iracavikuratam, iracavirutcam, irakavinnakamaram, irakavinnatakam, irali, iravankam, iruli, irulimaram, jagaruwa, ka zo, kaki, kakkaemara, kakkai, kakkayi, kakke, kakkemara, kanikkonna, kariar, karkacha, karmala, karmalo, kayarshambar, kerwara, kilwar, kirala, kirmalia, kirvali, kitola, koelapenna, konai, kondrakayi, konna, konnei, konrai, kondrakayi, konnei, konraik-kai, konraikkai, kunda, ngai-ngaw, nripadruma, nurui, raelachettu, railla, raj birij, raj briksh, rajataru, rajavraksha, ramadanda, rela, rela-kayalu, relagujju, reylu, sarakkonnai, sarokkonnoi, sharakkonnai, sinara, sona alu, sonaari, sonal, sonali, sonalu, sonari, sonarli, sonaru, sondal, sondhali, sonhali, sonolo, sonorigoch, soondali, sunaari, sunari, sunaru, sundali, suvarna pusphi, suvarnaka, suvarnam, vakkam, viyatikatam, viyatikkatam

in Indochina: kreete

in Indonesia: bobondelan, klobop, trengguli

in Japan: nanban-saikachi

in Laos: khoun

in Malaysia: bereksa, dulang, rajah kayu, tengguli

in Nepal: amaltas, briksha, raj-briksha, rajbrikcha, rajbriksha, rajbriksya

in Philippines: bistula, bitsula, fistula, kana-pistula

in Sanskrit: suvarnaka

in Sri Lanka: ehela

in Thailand: khuun, ku phe ya, lom laeng, mae laa yuu, poe so, pue yuu, puu yo, ratchaphruek

in Tibet: don ga, don ka, dong-ga

in Tropical Asia: kanier

in Vietnam: bo cap nuoc, c[aa]y b[of] c[aj]p n[uw][ows]c, muong bo-cap, mu[oof]ng ho[af]ng y[ees]n

Floral Description:

According to Flora of Pakistan:

Tree, up to 20 m tall. Bark in young tree smooth and ash coloured becoming rough and dark brown in old. Stipules deltoid, acute, 1-2 mm long, caducous. Rachis 12-25 cm long, terete, glabrous. Leaves compound 22.5-40 cm long, with 3-8 pairs of opposite leaflets, 6-10 (20) cm long, smooth above, hairy below. Flowers arranged in drooping racemes, each raceme c. 10-45 cm long; peduncle 2-10 cm long. Pedicel 3.7-5.8 cm long, slender, slightly hairy or quite smooth, bracts 8-10 mm long, ovate, acute, hairy. Calyx 5, green, folded backward on the stalk, hairy, ovate, 9 mm long. Petals 5, obovate, blunt, distinctly veined. Stamens 10, 3 longest stamens much curled and bear large oblong anthers, 4 smaller medium ones are quite straight, 3 remaining stamens are quite short, erect and sterile. Ovary slender, thinly appressed hairy, style sturdy, stigma punctiform. Pods terete, glabrous, indehiscent, 40-60 cm long, 1.5-2 cm broad, black glossy brown, 40-100 seeded.

Distribution: W. Pakistan, Swat and Hazara eastwards, ascending to 4000 ft. and commonly planted in gardens; common in deciduous forests throughout the greater part of India, Burma and Ceylon.

According to Flora of China:

Trees, deciduous, to 15 m tall. Leaves 30-40 cm, with 3 or 4 pairs of leaflets; leaflets adaxially shiny, broadly ovate or ovate-oblong, 8-13 × 4-8 cm, leathery, both surfaces puberu­lent when young, glabrous when mature, base broadly cuneate, apex acute. Racemes axillary, 20-40(-60) cm, lax, pendent, many flowered; flowers 3.5-4 cm in diam. Pedicels 3-5 cm, slender. Sepals narrowly ovate, 1-1.5 cm, reflexed at anthesis. Petals golden yellow, broadly ovate, subequal, 2.5-3.5 cm, shortly clawed. Stamens 10, 3 long with curved filaments 3-4 cm, anthers ca. 5 mm, exceeding petals, 4 short with straight filaments 6-10 mm, reduced stamens with minute anthers. Ovary stalked, strigulose; stigma small. Legume pendulous, blackish brown, terete, sausage-shaped, indehiscent, 30-60 cm, 2-2.5 cm in diam. Seeds numerous, separated by papery septa, glossy brown, elliptic, flattened.

Uses:

An ornamental tree, the bark is used as tanning material and wood ash is used as mordant in dyeing. The pulp of pods is used in Bengal to flavour tobacco. The durable wood is used for various purposes. Various parts of the plant are also reputed to have medicinal properties.

Chemical Constitutes:

(+)-Catechin, (+)-Dihydrokaempferol, (+)-Epicatechin, (-)-Epicatechin, 3,5,7,3',4'-Pentahydroxy-6,8-dimethoxyflavone 3-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, 4-Isopropyl benzaldehyde, [Epiafzelechin-(4beta->8)]2-epiafzelechin, Cassiaflavan-(4alpha->6)-epiafzelechin, Cassiaflavan-(4beta->8)-epiafzelechin-(4beta->8)-epiafzelechin, Chrysophanein, Chrysophanol, Clitorin, ent-Epiafzeiechin-(4alpha->8)-epiafzelechin, ent-Epiafzelechin, ent-Epiafzelechin-(4alpha->8)-epicatechin, ent-Epicatechin-(4alpha->8)-ent-epicatechin, ent-Epicatechin-(4alpha->8)-epiafzelechin, Epiafzelechin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, Epiafzelechin-(4beta->8)-epiafzelechin, Epiafzelechin-(4beta->8)-epicatechin, Epicatechin-(4beta->8)-ent-epicatechin, Epicatechin-(4beta->8)-epiafzelechin, Gibberellin A3, Guibourtinidol, Guibourtinidol-(4alpha->8)-epiafzelechin, Kaempferol, Kaempferol 3-neohesperidoside, Leucopelargonidin, Limocitrol, Limocitrol 3-neohesperidoside, Malvalic acid, Nonacosane, Quercetin 7-methyl ether 3-gentiobioside, Sterculic acid, Triacontane

Pharmacological Activities and Uses:

Leaves hypoglycemic, antifungal, antibacterial, purgative, anthelmintic, disinfectant, used in malaria, fever, hyperglycemia, allergy, ringworm, blood poisoning, inflammation and dysentery; fried leaves eaten with rice to cure syphilis and muscular pain; tender leaves paste applied to cure eczema and skin diseases, and also between the toes to cure wounds. Roots astringent, febrifuge, purgative; root juice given to treat snakebite, fever and cold; root decoction along with roots of Ricinus communis given for rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis. Roots, bark and pulp of the fruit and seeds used as a laxative. Fruit cathartic, antidote, laxative, applied in rheumatism; ash of ripe fruits along with honey given for whooping cough; endosperm eaten to cure diabetes; fruit pulp decoction antidiabetic, used in liver disorders, for toothache; fruit infusion for kidney problems, the dissolution of kidney stones and for relieving constipation. Seeds used in constipation, indigestionand jaundice; seeds powder given as antidiabetic; paste of seeds put on tongue of children to quench thirst. Broken bones and tropical ulcers bandaged with bark scrapings and leaf sap; stem bark mixed with cow’s milk applied to boils; dried fruits of Toddalia asiatica mixed with stem bark of Cassia fistula, ground and the powder given in scabies. Heartwood applied as an anthelmintic. Twigs of the plant along with Ziziphus oenoplia branches used to prevent the elephant’s disturbance; young shoots made as curry and given for ringworm. Veterinary medicine, fruit pulp mixed with Brassica oil, with powdered turmeric, given orally to the cattle for cough, cold and stomach troubles; fumes of wood of Dalbergia latifolia and pods of Cassia fistula applied to head of cattle against fevers; fruits infusion given to cattle for bloated stomach; fruit pulp given to cattle to kill intestinal worms and in indigestion; bark decoction mixed with garlic and powdered pepper and given to cattle as purgative; powdered bark along with water given to goats with diarrhea; bark extract of Crateva magna along with leaves of Cassia fistula, seeds of Ocimum basilicum, butter and salt are pounded and given orally in tympany; leaves applied to heal wounds on shoulders of cattle caused by the yoke. Seeds as fish poison.

Other Activities: Abortifacient, Alexeteric, Allergenic, Amebicide, Analgesic, Anthelminthic, Antidiabetic, Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiperiodic, Antipyretic, Antiradicular, Antisecretory, Antiseptic, Antitumor, Antitussive,Antiviral, Aperient, Astringent, Bactericide, Demulcent, Dentifrice, Deobstruent, Emetic, Febrifuge, Fungicide, Hemagglutinant, Hepatoprotective, Hypocholesterolemic, Hypoglycemic, Immunostimulant, Inteferonigenic, Laxative, Orexigenic, Polygalacturinase inhibitor, Protopectinase inhibitor, Purgative, Refrigerant, Stomachic, Tonic, Uterotonic, Vermicide, Vulnerary