Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Tribe Phaseoleae Higher classification Faboideae | Order Fabales Subfamily Faboideae Scientific name Butea Rank Genus | |
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Lower classifications Butea superba, Sacred Tree | ||
Medicinal importance of butea monosperma palash tesu flame of the forest
Butea is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the pea family, Fabaceae. It is sometimes considered to have only two species, B. monosperma and B. superba, or is expanded to include four or five species.
Contents
Butea monosperma is used for timber, resin, fodder, medicine, and dye.
Butea is also a host to the Lac insect, which produces natural lacquer.
Taxonomy
Butea is named after John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-1792), member of parliament, prime minister for one year, and a patron of botany. William Roxburgh erected the genus Butea in 1795, but it became a nomen invalidum. Carl Willdenow validated the name Butea in 1802.
Species
Forty-two names have been published in Butea, but forty of these are either synonyms or names of species that have been transferred to other genera.
