Description

Albizia lebbeck, the siris tree or woman’s tongue tree (named for the persistent rattling of seeds in dry pods), is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the family Fabaceae, native to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and tropical northern Australia. The tree is widely planted as a roadside shade tree across tropical India and Africa. The flat, papery seed pods persist on the branches long after seed maturity, containing several flat, brown seeds. Known in classical Ayurveda as Shirisha and cited in the Charaka Samhita as a primary Visha (anti-toxic) and Kushtha (skin disease) herb, the seeds and bark are incorporated in preparations for allergic conditions, skin diseases, and respiratory disorders. The Ashtanga Hridayam documents Shirisha in anti-allergic and anti-toxin formulations. Listed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India as a recognised medicinal drug.