Saraca

For the genus of moth, see Saraca (moth).

Saraca L. is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae (legume family) of about 20 plant species^[2] of trees native to the lands from India and Sri Lanka to Indochina, southern China Malesia, and New Guinea.^[1]

Saraca
Saraca asoca
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Detarioideae
Tribe:	Saraceae
Genus:	Saraca L. (1767)
Species[1]
12; see text
Synonyms[1]
Celebnia Noronha (1790), nom. nud. Jonesia Roxb. (1795)

This plant can be grown outdoors in distinctly warm humid climates, and prefer a moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. It can also be grown within greenhouses. The trees themselves are grown for their clustered, upturned flowers in yellow, orange or red. The tree's flowers lack petals, having brightly colored sepals, and have stamens projecting up to eight inches long. The leaves are pinnate, with paired leaflets. Typically, these trees are accustomed to the shade of other trees. Most species of Saraca are associated with particular bodies of water. The species Saraca asoca is believed to be the tree under which Buddha was born. Red saraca is the provincial tree of Yala province, Thailand.

Species

12 species are accepted:^[1]

• Saraca asoca (Roxb.) W.J.de Wilde – ashoka tree
• Saraca celebica W.J.de Wilde
• Saraca declinata (Jack) Miq.
• Saraca dives Pierre
• Saraca griffithiana Prain
• Saraca hullettii Prain
• Saraca indica L.
• Saraca monodelpha W.J.de Wilde
• Saraca schmidiana J.E.Vidal
• Saraca thailandica Pongam., Panyadee & Inta
• Saraca thaipingensis Cantley ex Prain
• Saraca tubiflora W.J.de Wilde

Pests

Saraca indica is host to the peacock mite Tuckerella channabasavannai.