Tree (Albizia lebbek) Report

Ecology:

It grows in a wide range of climates, covering an annual rainfall range of 600 - 2500 mm, and can also be
grown successfully in areas with an annual rainfall as low as 400mm. It can tolerate lower and more
irregular rainfall conditions. It grows in Himalayan valleys up to 1600 m. Found from sea level up to
1800 m altitude. The species shows high adaptation to a wide range of soil types, from acidic soils to
alkaline and saline, eroded soils, laterites except heavy clays conditions. Older trees can withstand in
heavy grazing and fire by utilizing the reserves in the root.

Leaves and young shoots

The leaves are bipinnate, 7–12 cm long, and are alternately arranged on the smooth, green twigs. The leaf
stalk (rachis) has a conspicuous disk-shaped gland near its base and another one below the uppermost pair
of pinnae. There are usually 2–3 opposite pairs of pinnae, 5 to 20 cm long, each with 3–9 pairs of leaflets
(with no terminal leaflet) and small glands between the bases of each leaflet pair. Leaflets, borne on very
short stalks (petiolules), are 2.5–5 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide, elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong
(interminal leaflets), unequal-sided, with an obtuse apex and an obliquely rounded or truncate base; small
glands are also present on the pinnae stalk between the bases of each leaflet pair. The leaves typically turn
a deep yellow color before falling during the dry season. The smooth, young shoots are deep green in
color, becoming woody, with numerous tiny, light brown, linear, elliptical or oblong lenticels. The trees
remain leafless for a period of 1 to 5 months, depending on locality and the length of the dry season. In
northern India, for example, leaf-fall occurs in October-November with new leaves appearing in April or
May, while in central and southern India the trees often retain their leaves until as late as February or
March.

Dimensions of Tree

It is a tree growing to a height of 18-30 m tall with a trunk of 50 cm to 1 m in diameter. The leaves are
bipinnate 7.5 to 15 cm long, with one to four pairs of pinnae, each pinna with 6 to 18 leaflets. The flowers
are white with numerous 2.5 to 3.8 cm long stamens and very fragrant.

Chemical constituents of flower

Lupeol, _ and _ amyrin benzyl acetate, benzyl benzoate and crocetin [10] different sterols i.e, taxerol,
cycloartemol, lupeol, campesterol, sitosterol triterpene, lebbekanin, saponin, saponin glycosides, crocetin
lebbekanin-D, F, G & H. On performing the preliminary qualitative analysis of A. lebbeck on flower
powder; phenols tannins, flavonoids were present in the methanol and water extract, steroids and
alkaloids were present in the methanol and chloroform extract whereas glycoside shows their presence in
all the extracts (methanol, chloroform, benzene, diethyl ether, and water).

Behavior of Albizia lebbek

Growth Rate Fast

Tree Shape Spreading
Canopy Symmetry Irregular
Canopy Density Medium
Height at Maturity 15 to 23 m
Spread at Maturity 10 to 15 m
Time to Ultimate Height 5 to 10 years
Life Span 25 to 50 years