Forwarding again for any assistance in the matter please.
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> Date: 10 December 2011 10:51 Subject: [efloraindia:98652] Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae (Caesalpiniaceae) Week: Looking for Saraca indica L. To: efloraofindia <[email protected]> Dear friends The fact that Flora of British India described the sacred Ashok tree under the name Saraca indica L., and Jonesia asoka Roxb. as its synonym, has often led many to believe that perhaps Saraca asoka and Saraca indica are the same tree and synonyms, the fact is not exactly so. As it appears the Sacred Indian Ashok tree was decribed by Roxburgh under the name Jonesia asoka, but the name got ignored because earlier Beddome (1870) in Fl. Sylv. and later Baker in FBI (1878) thought this to be same as Saraca indica L., described by Linnaeus, and the name Saraca indica L. continued to be used from this important sacred tree. It was De Wilde in 1967 who established that Indian plant is distinct from Saraca indica L., and made a new combination Saraca asoka (Roxb.) De Wilde, based on Jonesia asoka Roxb., and that is now the accepted name for our tree, quite distinct and not synonymous with Saraca indica L. Whereas Saraca asoka (Roxb.) De Wilde is native of South India, Bangladesh and Western Myanmar, it has been introduced in other parts of India and other countries of SE Asia and Tropical Africa. Saraca indica L., on the other hand is native of Laos, Thailand; Vietnam, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra and Malaysia. but is reported (Flora Ceylone) to be introduced into India (along with Saraca declinata (Jacq.) Miq. and Saraca thaipingensis Cantley ex Prain). Perhaps it would be interesting to 1. know the difference bewtween Saraca asoka (Roxb.) De Wilde and Saraca indica L. 2. Locate, photograph and upload real Saraca indica L. Alo if any one is lucky to find other two species, also introduced in India. Who knows it may be among some of our photographs. -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ -- With regards, J.M.Garg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a *thousand species* & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1900 members & 1,20,700 messages on 30/6/12) or Efloraofindia website: https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database of more than 7000 species). Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of India'.
