Albizzia lebbeck:
Common names: Black siris (Eng), Siris (Hin)
This tree is widely distributed in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. It is a large, deciduous tree with dark grey or brownish bark. The bear large, white fragrant flowers and thin straw coloured pods. This tree is one of the most useful trees for afforestation programmes. It is an important fodder substitute for cattle and camels. In Andamans the timber is valuable for ornamental purposes. The burrs are popular for carving and turnery. The planks are used for paneling.

Thespesia popul nea:
Common names: Indian tulip tree (Eng), Bhendi Tree (Hin), Huvarsi (Kan)
This is a small, evergreen tree with an umbrella shaped crown. This tree is common to the coast of Southern India, Andaman's, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The flowers are yellow and tulip-like with a purple centre. It is commonly used as an avenue tree; it is also quite popular in gardens. The tree is most attractive in February when the dried leaves give the impression of blossom. The leaves are used as packing eatables. The bark yields good fibre. Bark, leaves, flowers and fruits are used in local medicine.

Bauhinia purpurea:
Common names: Camel's hoof tree, Mountain Ebony (Eng), Gulabi Kachnar (Hindi), Basavanpadha (Kan)
It is a medium-sized tree densely branched with rounded crown. Flowers deep pink to rosy purple, large and showy. Found wild throughout India particularly at the foot of the Himalayas, also found on the hill ranges of Central and Southern India.This tree flourishes in well drained soil. It is one of the few flowering trees in winter. Bark is used for dying and tanning, also for its fibre. Leaves make good fodder. Flower and flower buds are pickled and also used as a vegetable.

Pongamia pinnata:
Common names: Indian Beech (Eng), Karanja (Hin), Honge (Kan)
A medium sized evergreen tree with short trunk and shady crown. It is indigenous to the coast of the Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The flowers are white tinged with pink or violet in cone shaped clusters. The pods are woody and yellowish grey when ripe. The seeds give a reddish brown oil used as an illuminant. The calorific value of this oil makes it suitable to be used as a 'bio-diesel', and has now begun to catch up as a clean source of energy.

Acacia catechu:
Common names: Cutch tree (Eng), Khair (Hin), Khadirah (San)
This is a moderate size deciduous tree with rough dark gray brown bark. It grows naturally all over the Indian subcontinent areas experiencing average rainfall, in the whole of the Indo-Gangetic plain from Assam westwards, right up to Afghanistan. The khair tree is very useful in a number of ways. A pale yellow mucilaginous gum exudes from the tree, yielding one of the best substitutes for true gum arabic. Its wood contains catechin, catechutanic acid and tannin. The wood extracts are used for tanning and dyeing khaki.

Pterocarpus marsupium:
Common names: Indian Kino tree (Eng) , Bijaka (San) Vijaysar (Hin), Honne (Kan)
Found commonly in hilly regions throughout the Deccan Peninsula, and extending to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa. moderate-sized to large deciduous tree. The bark is grey, rough, longitudinally fissured and scaly. The older trees exude a blood red gum-resin. An aqueous infusion of the wood is said to be of use in diabetes. The wood is used for buildings. Gum resin from the trunk is a valuable Astringent.

Gmelina arborea:
Common names: White Teak (Eng), Gamari (Hin), Kulimavu (Kan)
Gmelina arborea locally known as Gamhar is a beautiful fast growing deciduous tree occurring naturally throughout greater part of India up to 1500 m. It is a fast growing tree, which though grows on different localities and prefers moist fertile valleys with 750-4500 mm rainfall. In Ayurveda it has been observed that Gamhar fruit is acrid, sour, bitter, sweet, cooling, diuretic tonic, aphrodisiac, alternative astringent to the bowels, promote growth of hairs, useful in 'vata', thirst, anaemia, leprosy, ulcers and vaginal discharge. The plant is recommended in combination with other drugs for the treatment of snake bite and scorpion- sting. In snake bite a decoction of the root and bark is given internally.

Hardwickia binata
Common names: Yenne, Karachya (Kan), Anjana (San)
Hardwickia binata is a moderate-sized to large tree, up to 24-30 m tall. Characteristically found in teak forests, dry savannah and degraded dry deciduous forests. The tree is distributed in isolated patches, varying in extent in the drier parts of the Indian Peninsula. Fodder: Leaves contain about 9% crude protein, but the amount varies with the age of the leaves. Fuel: H. binata provides excellent firewood and good charcoal. Fibre: The bark yields a strong fibre largely employed for making ropes. Timber: The wood is perhaps the hardest and heaviest in India.

Alangium salvifolium
Common names: Sage-leaf (Eng), Ankole (Kan), Ankola (Hin)
A small deciduous tree or shrub, flowers white or yellowish- white, fragrant. Endemic to the forests to Southern India. The roots are acrid, astringent, emollient, antihelmintic, thermogenic, diuretic and purgative. Root bark is an antidote for several poisons. The roots are useful for external application in acute case of rheumatism, leprosy and inflammation and for external and internal application in case of bites of bites of rabid dogs. Fruits are sweet, cooling and purgative, and are useful in treating burning sensation and heamorrhages.

Sapindus emarginatus
Common names: South Indian Soapnut (Eng), Ritha (Hin)
The tree ranges from medium to large sized with a spreading crown. It is distributed in Southern India, at low elevations in the dry, deciduous forests of the Deccan, Karnataka, Nilgiris, Eastern Ghats, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Fruit is a substitute for washing silk and woolens and used as shampoo by women. Sapindus refers to soap and emarginatus is derived from the notched apex of the leaflets.

Santalum album
Common names: Sandalwood (Eng), Gandha (San)
A small evergreen tree parasitic on the roots of other plants with slender drooping branches. Probably indigenous to South West India and the Northern Circars southwards. Flowers small, odourless in loosely branched clusters. Birds relish the fruits and are important dispersal agents. It is famous for its strongly scented heartwood used in carving. The heartwood also yields fragrant oil used in perfumery and soap. This fragrant oil has very important cultural significance in the Hindu customs and traditions.

Phyllanthus emblica
Common names: Emblic Myrobalan, Indian Gooseberry (Eng), Nellikayi, Amlaka (Kan), Amla (Hin).
Small to medium sized tree, sometimes with a gnarled trunk. Common throughout the subcontinent upto 1300 meters. Male and female flowers are found on different stalks found as small, greenish yellow densely clustered branches. When in bloom the flowers are visited by swarms of bees. The fruit is one of the richest sources of natural source of vitamin C. It is often eaten as a thirst quencher and made into pickles and preserves. Fruit, bark and leaves are used in tanning.

Cassia fistula
Common Names: Amaltas(San), Golden Shower Tree(Eng), Kakkigida(Kan).
It is very obvious during the flowering season with brilliant yellow drooping inflorescences. It is found scattered in the deciduous forests of the Indian Subcontinent. Found upto 1220 meters in the Himalayas. Dispersal of seeds is facilitated by monkeys, jackals, bears and pigs who brake open the pod eat the pulp and scatter the seeds. The parts that are used are the fruits, seeds, pulp, boot, leaves and flowers for a range of medicinal properties like laxative, anti viral and antipyretic-for Malaria and black fever. It also helps to fight leprosy and diabetes. The pulp is an ingredient of spiced Indian Tobacco.

Butea monosperma
Common names: Bastard Teak, Flame of the Forest (Eng), Dhak, Phlash (Hin), Muttuge(Kan).
The tree is named as 'Flame of the forest' because of the massed crowns of bright orange flowers suggesting a forest in flames. A small or medium deciduous tree with a crooked trunk and large, irregular branches. It is native to India and Southeast Asia. The black flower buds appear in January and burst open in clusters to reveal bright vermilion coloures flowers. The flowers are fertilised by babblers, sunbirds and other birds. It is used for timber, resin, fodder, medicine, and dye; it is also a host to the lac insect, which produces natural lacquer.

Phoenix humilis
Common names: Mountain date palm (Eng), Khajur (Hin)
An extremely variable species with a widespread distribution ranging from the Himalayas in northeastern India through China to the Philippines. This plant being a drought resistant species comes in very attractive forms. It is found at an altitude of 1700 m (5600 ft.). Being a very robust species that plant can thrive in temperate or tropical climates and will tolerate and survive even during hard frosts.

Phoenix sylvestris
Common names: Indian Wild date plam (Eng), Khajuri (Hin)
A handsome palm, if not disfigured by tappers. A very tall, slender palm, which is fast growing. Found growing naturally in many waste lands, common in lower Bengal and Peninsular India. Leaves are used for mats, bags, baskets, brooms, fans; food eaten by poor people during in times of scarcity, also by birds and smaller animals. Fruit is a remedy for heart diseases, fevers stomach pains and insanity. It is a tonic and restorative. Wood used in construction.

Acacia nilotica
Common names: Babul(Hin)
A medium-sized tree with a short thick cylindrical trunk. It is indigenous to Sind where they occupy large tracts. Rajasthan, Gujarat and Deccan; naturalized in the rest of India. Flowers sweet scented in globe-like heads. The wood is durable and resistant to termites. It is used as railway sleepers and as high quality fuel. The bark and pods are esteemed as tanning material. Leaves and pods are good fodder. The spines serve as fishing hooks and paper pins.

Melia dubia syn composita
Large, deciduous, fast growing tree with wide spreading branches on a stout, straight, tall bole. Young shoots with inflorescence covered with mealy stellate hairs. It is indigenous to the Western Ghats of southern India. Wood used for 'Katamarans'. Fruit pulp is bitter, used as a remedy for colic. Useful for planting in sanctuaries, as fruits relished by herbivores. Good fodder tree. Suited for planthig in avenues and parks.