PALAS – FLAME OF THE FOREST

Description:

Habit & Habitat: It is a small-sized dry-season deciduous tree, growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall. It is a slow-growing tree: young trees have a growth rate of a few feet per year.
Leaves: The leaves are pinnate, with an 8–16 cm (3.1–6.3 in) petiole and three leaflets, each leaflet 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) long.

Flowers: The flowers are 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long, bright orange-red, and produced in racemes up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long.

Fruit: The fruit is a pod 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) long and 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in) broad.

Note: The hindi phrase ढाक के तीन पात (Dhaak ke teen paat) comes from the prominent three leaflets of this tree. It is seen in all its ugliness in December and January when most of the leaves fall: but from January to March it truly becomes a tree of flame, a riot of orange and vermilion flowers covering the entire crown.

 These flowers, which are scentless, are massed along the ends of the stalks–dark velvety green like the cup-shaped calices–and the brilliance of the stiff, bright flowers is shown off to perfection by this deep, contrasting
colour. Each flower consists of five petals comprising one standard, two smaller wings and a very curved beak-shaped keel. It is this keel which gives it the name of Parrot Tree.
A postal stamp was issued by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate this flower.