Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Ayurvedic and Southeast Asian folk medicine the seeds, bark, and leaves of coralwood are used to treat inflammation, rheumatism, boils, and headache (Warrier et al., Indian Medicinal Plants; Burkill, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula).
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Botanical Description
Adenanthera pavonina, commonly called coralwood, red-bead tree, or jumbie bead, is a medium to large deciduous tree in the family Fabaceae, reaching 15–25 m in height with a spreading crown. The bark is greyish and the wood is hard and red. The leaves are large and bipinnately compound, with numerous small, dull-green oblong leaflets. The tree bears small, fragrant, creamy-yellow flowers in slender, drooping racemes. The fruit is a curved, narrow pod that twists open on ripening to reveal striking, hard, lens-shaped seeds that are brilliant glossy red, prized for use as beads and once used as a traditional unit of weight for gold. Native to South and Southeast Asia, the tree is now widely planted and naturalized throughout the tropics, including Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific islands. It grows in lowland forests and is commonly cultivated as an ornamental and shade tree.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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