About Pterolobium hexapetalum (Roth) Santapau & Wagh
Pterolobium hexapetalum, commonly called Indian redwing, camp siege, or bhoca, is a flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. Its range extends from Burma, Bhutan, and Bangladesh to southern India, where it grows at altitudes up to 1200 m. This species forms large scrambling or climbing shrubs. It commonly grows in dry deciduous forests, and also occurs as a pioneer plant on open land. Pairs of thorns grow below the rachis of its bipinnate leaves, and its sprawling twigs are also armed with recurved thorns. In spring, profuse, attractive inflorescences of pinkish white flowers grow to form a mat over tree canopies. From March to April, this plant produces large amounts of nectar and pollen, which is foraged by multiple honey bee species. In late summer, it produces colourful samaroid fruit, with each fruit holding a single seed. The young shoots of Pterolobium hexapetalum are useful as cattle fodder.
