Broome raintree (Albizia lebbeck, London J. Bot. 3: 87 (1844))

Family: Fabaceae

Author: (L.) Benth.

Bibliography: London J. Bot. 3: 87 (1844)

Year: 1844

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Albizia

Vegetable: False

Observations: Indian Subcontinent to Myanmar

Description

The Broome raintree, scientifically known as Albizia lebbeck, is a versatile and impressive member of the Fabaceae family. This tree has garnered widespread recognition not just for its striking appearance, but also for its numerous applications in traditional medicine, agroforestry, and ornamental gardening.

First described in a publication from the London Journal of Botany in 1844 by (L.) Benth., the Broome raintree has its origins rooted in the expansive regions of the Indian Subcontinent, extending naturally to Myanmar. Its presence in these areas has allowed it to adapt to a variety of climatic conditions, making it a resilient and hardy species.

Characterized by its large, spreading canopy, the Broome raintree offers ample shade and aesthetic value. The bipinnate leaves are a hallmark of the species, providing a delicate, feathery texture that contrasts beautifully with its large, fragrant flowers. The flowers, typically cream or yellowish in color, come together in fluffy spherical clusters, adding an ethereal quality to the tree during its blooming period.

Beyond its visual appeal, Albizia lebbeck plays a significant ecological and practical role. In agriculture, it is often used in agroforestry systems to improve soil fertility due to its nitrogen-fixing abilities. Its wood is valued in carpentry and cabinetry, known for being workable and durable. Furthermore, various parts of the tree are used in traditional medicine across its native range, with applications that include treatments for respiratory issues, inflammation, and more.

In summary, the Broome raintree (Albizia lebbeck) is a tree of great significance both ecologically and culturally. Its wide distribution from the Indian Subcontinent to Myanmar underscores its adaptability and importance in the regions’ ecosystems. Whether admired for its beauty or utilized for its practical applications, this tree stands as a testament to the rich biodiversity of its native lands.

Common Names

Eng: broome raintree, east indian-walnut, indian siris, woman’s tongue, acacia-tree, frywood, koko, lebbek, lebbektree, powderpuff-tree, raom tree, siris tree, siristree, soros-tree, woman’s-tongue tree, women’s-tongue-tree, amor platónico, east indian walnut, lebbeck, lebbeck tree, rain tree, shack-shack, silver raintree, singer-tree
Spa: pisquin, acacia, acacia amarilla, algarrobo de olor, aroma, aroma francesca, baile de caballero, barba de caballero, cabellos de ángel, canjuro, carbonero de sombra, casia amarilla, chachá, coracáo de negro, dormilón, lengua de mujer, lengua viperina, mataraton, muche, músico
Por: coração-de-negro, língua-de-sogra, ébano-oriental
Afr: lebbekboom
Khm: ច្រេស, chreh
Swe: kokko
Deu: andamanen-kokko, lebachbaum
Mya: anya-koko, hamakal
Kan: baage
Jpn: birumanemu
Vie: bo ket tay, lim xanh
Fra: bois noir, ebénier d’orient
Mlg: bwar nwar
Tha: chamchuri
Ind: kitoke
Asm: kothiya-koroi
Zho: kuo jia he huan
Urd: siris
Hin: siris
En: Broome raintree, East Indian-walnut, Acacia-tree, Frywood, Lebbek, Lebbektree, Powderpuff-tree, Women’s-tongue-tree, Indian siris, Koko, Siristree, Woman’s tongue, East Indian Walnut, Shack-shack, Siris, White Siris, Woman’s-Tongue, Raom tree, Siris tree, Soros-tree, Woman’s-tongue tree, Amor platónico, Lebbeck, Lebbeck Tree, Rain Tree, Silver raintree, Singer-tree, Siris Rain Tree, Tibet lebbeck, Whistling-bean, Black ebony, Woman’s tongue tree, Black Siris, East India Walnut, Lebbek Tree, Vaivai Ni Vavalagi, Womans tongue, Ebano-oriental
Af: Lebbekboom
Ar: لبخ
As: শিৰিষ, Kothiya-koroi, Sirish
Bm: Bek
Bn: শিরিষ
My: ကုက္ကို, Anya-koko, Hamakal
Zh: 大葉合歡, 阔荚合欢, Kuo jia he huan
Fj: Vaivai
Fi: Valkoalbitsia
Fr: Acacia langue de femme, Bois nior, Bois noir, Ebénier d’Orient, Arbre à soie, Acacia de Constantinople, Albizia, Boir Noir
De: Lebachbaum, Andamanen-Kokko
Ht: Tyatya
He: אלביציה צהובה
Hi: शिरीष, Siris
Id: Kitoke, Tarisi, Tekik
Ja: Birumanemu
Kn: ಬಾಗೆ, Baage
Km: ច្រេស, Chreh
Mg: Bwar nwar
Ml: നെന്മേനിവാക, Vaka
Ne: शिरीष
Pa: ਸ਼ਰੀਂਹ
Fa: درخت گل ابریشم
Pt: Albízia, Coração-de-negro, Língua-de-sogra, Ébano-oriental
Pt-br: Coração-de-negro, Língua-de-mulher, Língua-de-sogra, Ébano-oriental
Sm: Tamaligi
Es: Acasia amarilla, Cabellos de angel, Canjuro, Koko, Mataraton, Siris, Vagai, Pisquin, Acacia, Acacia amarilla, Algarrobo de olor, Aroma, Aroma francesca, Baile de caballero, Barba de caballero, Cabellos de ángel, Carbonero de sombra, Casia amarilla, Chachá, Coracáo de negro, Dormilón, Lengua de mujer, Lengua viperina, Muche, Músico
Sv: Kokko
Zh-tw: 大葉合歡
Ta: வாகை, Vaagai
Te: దిరిసన
Th: พฤกษ์, Chamchuri
Zh-hant: 闊莢合歡
Ur: سرس, Siris
Vi: Bo ket tay, Lim xanh, Trat

Synonyms

• Mimosa speciosa (Jacq.)
• Albizia speciosa ((Jacq.) Benth.)
• Acacia lebbeck ((L.) Willd.)
• Inga borbonica (Hassk.)
• Albizia lebbeck var. rostrata (Haines)
• Mimosa seeressa (Steud.)
• Pithecellobium splitgerberianum (Miq.)
• Mimosa sirissa (Roxb.)
• Inga leucoxylon (Hassk.)
• Mimosa lebbeck (L.)
• Acacia seeressa (Roxb. ex Steud.)
• Albizia latifolia (Boivin)
• Albizia lebbeck var. pubescens (Benth.)
• Feuilleea lebbeck ((L.) Kuntze)

Distribution

• Andaman Is. (native)
• Assam (native)
• Bangladesh (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• India (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Sri Lanka (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• Afghanistan (introduced)
• Angola (introduced)
• Aruba (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Belize (introduced)
• Benin (introduced)
• Borneo (introduced)
• Burkina (introduced)
• Cambodia (introduced)
• Cameroon (introduced)
• Caroline Is. (introduced)
• Central African Repu (introduced)
• Chad (introduced)
• Chagos Archipelago (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Comoros (introduced)
• Congo (introduced)
• Cook Is. (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Djibouti (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• Egypt (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• French Guiana (introduced)
• Gabon (introduced)
• Gambia (introduced)
• Ghana (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Guinea (introduced)
• Guinea-Bissau (introduced)
• Gulf of Guinea Is. (introduced)
• Guyana (introduced)
• Hainan (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Iran (introduced)
• Iraq (introduced)
• Ivory Coast (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Jawa (introduced)
• Kenya (introduced)
• KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
• Leeward Is. (introduced)
• Lesser Sunda Is. (introduced)
• Liberia (introduced)
• Madagascar (introduced)
• Malawi (introduced)
• Malaya (introduced)
• Mali (introduced)
• Marianas (introduced)
• Marquesas (introduced)
• Marshall Is. (introduced)
• Mauritius (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Gulf (introduced)
• Mexico Northeast (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Mexico Southeast (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Mozambique (introduced)
• Netherlands Antilles (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• New Guinea (introduced)
• Nicaragua (introduced)
• Niger (introduced)
• Nigeria (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Northern Territory (introduced)
• Oman (introduced)
• Panamá (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Philippines (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Queensland (introduced)
• Rodrigues (introduced)
• Réunion (introduced)
• Saudi Arabia (introduced)
• Senegal (introduced)
• Seychelles (introduced)
• Sierra Leone (introduced)
• Society Is. (introduced)
• Somalia (introduced)
• Sudan (introduced)
• Sulawesi (introduced)
• Sumatera (introduced)
• Suriname (introduced)
• Taiwan (introduced)
• Tanzania (introduced)
• Thailand (introduced)
• Togo (introduced)
• Tonga (introduced)
• Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
• Tuamotu (introduced)
• Tubuai Is. (introduced)
• Uganda (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
• Vietnam (introduced)
• Western Australia (introduced)
• Windward Is. (introduced)
• Yemen (introduced)
• Zambia (introduced)
• Zaïre (introduced)
• Zimbabwe (introduced)

Additional Images

Habit

Taken Nov 7, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Günter Baumann (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken May 29, 2021 by Jean-Marie Ronquy (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 2, 2021 by Mélanie Herteman (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 18, 2017 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Jun 17, 2021 by Jean-Louis Labarbe (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 25, 2020 by fletch m. fletch (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 1, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 1, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 1, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jan 2, 2021 by Mélanie Herteman (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 6, 2022 by Gianella Zapata Ramos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 11, 2020 by Oliveira Ohana (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 1, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Oct 31, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 24, 2019 by Ben Bayerl (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 8, 2020 by dominoel dominoel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 10, 2021 by Renodino Luc (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 12, 2021 by César Gonzalez (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Nov 30, 2012 by P. Bonnet (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 6, 2022 by Hidalgo Vicente (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 1, 2022 by steffi.ocane (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 3, 2022 by koko Taisakan (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 30, 2012 by J. Champ (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Oct 28, 2014 by Tela Botanica − S. Paulin KOURA (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 7, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 22, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Samantha BAZAN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 22, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Samantha BAZAN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 28, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2973215)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:99109-3)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth.)

Specifications

Growth habit>: Tree

Growth