Indian beech

Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre (Fabaceae, Faboideae; syn. Millettia pinnata), Indian beech or karanja, is a medium-sized, fast-growing, semi-deciduous tree native to coastal and lowland regions from the Indian subcontinent across south-east Asia to northern Australia and the western Pacific. Mature trees reach 8-25 m tall with a short crooked bole and a dense spreading crown of glossy foliage. The smooth grey-brown bark is mottled and slightly fissured with age. Leaves are alternate, imparipinnate and shiny, 10-30 cm long, with five to nine opposite, broadly ovate to elliptic leaflets 5-10 cm long, pinkish when young and dark green at maturity. Drooping axillary racemes carry many fragrant pea-like flowers 12-15 mm long with a white, pinkish or pale violet corolla. The fruit is a thick, woody, indehiscent, elliptic-oblong flattened pod 4-7 cm long containing one (rarely two) reddish-brown, kidney-shaped oily seeds. It grows along tidal creeks, beaches, river banks and dry deciduous forest.