Friends,
Some incorrect information seems to have inadvertently cropped up in Domnic’s post. The tree found in front of churches is not Rui (Calotropis gigantea) but Maddi (Sterculia foetida). Cow’s foot tree (Bauhinia forficata) is again a different tree altogether. Here are the differences between them. Rui (Konk.) or Giant milkweed (Eng.) is a large shrub growing upto 4 m. tall. It has clusters of waxy flowers that are either white or lavender in colour. Each flower consists of five pointed petalsand a small, elegant "crown" rising from the centre, which holds the stamens. The plant has oval, light green leaves and milky stem. In Goa it is found growing by the roadside. If a leaf is broken or plucked, a milky sap oozes out which has the property of healing sores. Please confirm at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calotropis_gigantea Maddi (Konk.), Java Olive, Wild almond tree (Eng.) is a tall, straight tree. It grows freely in Burma, Ceylon and South India. The grey bark is smooth, spotted with brown and faintly ridged. The branches are whorled and usually horizontal. Leaves crowded at the end of thick branchlets, digitately compound, about 20 cm. long; leaflets 7-9, elliptic-lanceolate, acute or acuminate. Flowers small, 1.5-2.5 cm. diameter, purple, with offensive smell, in simple or compound racemes. Fruit 10-12.5 cm. long, ovate, beaked, woody, scarlet when ripe, seeds black, oblong, smooth, arranged in two rows. Please confirm at: http://www.ntbg.org/plants/plant_details.php?plantid=10732 ; http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Java%20Olive.html ; http://wikimapia.org/1770961/The-majestic-Sterculia-foetida-tree-Arossim-Chapel ; http://www.natureloveyou.sg/Sterculia%20foetida/Main.html The tree is invariably found growing straight in front of, but at some distance away from, a church, a chapel or even a village cross whose feast is celebrated; no other tree or structure is found in the intervening space. The tree appears to have a very long life, hundreds of years. I don't know the reason why this tree has been chosen for this position. The day before a Novena or Triduum begins, a ceremony is performed at this tree. This ceremony or fama is also called maddi in Konkani (at least in Salcete). Unlike what Domnic has stated, the fruits are not edible. But, as Domnic has said, I too remember having used the seeds as whistles; we would expose the white kernel by rubbing hard one end of the black seed against a rough stone and then empty out all the pulp with the help of a pin or stick. Don’t remember having eaten the pulp. I notice that the tree is also called Kuvem ruk or Nagin in Konkani (though I have never heard of these names) at the following sites: http://foter.com/Bangar/; http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinesh_valke/2334259875/ Cow’s Foot Tree or Purple orchid tree is a small tree that grows 5-9 m tall. Its leaves are 7-10 cm. long and shaped like a cow's hoof, which is distinctive to the Bauhinia genus. Its Brazilian name, pata de vaca, translates to cow's foot. It produces large, drooping white flowers and a brown seed pod resembling that of mimosa. It is called cow's hoof tree because its double-lobed leaves resemble a cow's hoof. Purple orchid tree (usually just called orchid tree) is staggeringly beautiful when in bloom - and it blooms for several months! Orchid tree grows 6-12 m. tall and 3-6 m. wide with a spreading crown of briefly deciduous leaves which are 10-15 cm. across and rounded with lobed ends and heart shaped bases. The flowers are reminiscent of showy orchids, with five irregular, usually slightly overlapping petals in shades of magenta, lavender or purplish blue. The flowers often make their first appearance in late winter while the tree is bare of leaves. The blooming period then lasts until early summer. The flowers are 7.6-12.7 cm. across and carried in clusters at the branch tips. A member of the bean family, orchid tree produces flattened brown woody legumes (pods) up to 30.5 cm. long. Clearly, this is different from the tree that is found in front of churches. Please confirm at:http://www.sandiegozoo.org/CF/plants/species_detail232.html ; http://www.floridata.com/ref/b/bauh_var.cfm Sincerely, Sebastian Borges On Sunday, 26 May 2013 Domnic Fernandes <domval...@hotmail.com> wrote: << the Cow's-foot tree {Santam rukh- the tree in front of churches/chapels where the saint's >picture/banner is put up before the feast. I think you are talking about Rui tree. These huge trees were found in Church/Chapel compounds. In the olden days, outdoor classes were conducted under such trees. Towards the end of the 19th century, Latin classes in Saud Saibinnichem Kopel (Our Lady of Health Chapel) in Mazalvaddo, Anjuna, were conducted under the umbrella of two huge Rui trees. There were three huge Rui trees by the left side of Anjuna Church compound. When we attended Catechism classes, we would pick up fallen fruits, which are yellowish in colour, and eat them; we would then break the nut and eat seeds. Sometimes, we would pierce the top of the seed with a safety pin, empty the contents and use it as a whistle. The English name for Rui tree is calotropis (courtesy Miguel Braganza).>> Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes