Introductory Agroforestry

Exercise 1

Exercise 1: Identification of Seeds and Seedlings of Multipurpose Tree species

Learning Objective: Identification of Seeds and Seedlings of Multipurpose Tree species.
1. Botanical name: Morus alba L.

Common name: Mulberry
Family: Moraceae
Fruit: It is succulent berry, white or dark purple or black with peduncle, sweet and edible

Seed: It is very small and about 430-460 seeds weigh one gram


PLATE 1.1 Ripened fruits of Morus

2. Botanical name: Grewia optiva Drumm.

Common name: Bhiul, Bhimal
Family: Tiliaceae
Fruit: It is fleshy drupe, 2-4 lobed, olive green when immature and black when ripe
Seed: Seed coat is hard. Each fruit contains 2-4 seeds. There are about 12000- 15000 seeds per Kg.




Plate 1.2 Flowering of Grewia optiva Drumm.

3. Botanical name: Albizia chinensis Osbeck.

Common name: Black siris
Family: Leguminosae
Pod: It have brown spots and depressions alternately on either side over the seeds
Seed: Seeds flat, ovate, elliptic, greenish-brown, smooth, 5-7 mm long


Plate 1.3 Pods of Albizia chinesis Osbeck.

4. Botanical name: Toona ciliata M.

Common name: Toon
Family: Meliaceae
Fruit: It is dark brown oblong capsule, which when ripe open by 5 valves, liberating the seeds exposing five-angled pith in the centre.
Seed: Seeds are small, pale brown, winged at both ends, flat and very light.




Plate 1.4 Seeds and leaves of Toona ciliate M.

5. Botanical name: Bauhinia variegate L.

Common name: Kachnar
Family: Leguminosae
Pod: Pods 15-30 cm by 1.8-2.5 cm, papillose when young, hard when mature, flat, bursting when fully ripe.
Seed: Seeds 10-15 per pod, nearly circular, 1.3 to 1.9 in diameter, flat brown with coriaceous testa.


Plate 1.5 Seeds of Bahunia variegate L.

6. Botanical name: Celtis australis L.

Common name: Neetle tree, khirk
Family: Ulmaceae
Fruit: It is an ellipsoid drupe, about 1 cm long, purplish black, sweet edible and used as a remedy for amenorrhoea and colic disorders
Seed: About 4600 seeds weigh one Kg.


Plate 1.6 Fruits of Celtis australis L.

7. Botanical name: Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn

Common name: Soapnut tree, Ritha
Family: Sapindaceae
Fruit: It is globosely fleshy, single- seeded drupe, sometimes two drupe together 1.8-2.5cm across.
Seed: 0.8-1.3 cm in diameter, globose, smooth, black, loose in dry fruit


Plate 1.7 Seeds and dried fruits of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn

8. Botanical name: Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.

Common name: Shisam
Family: Leguminosae
Pod: It is oblong-lanceolate, 4-9 cm by 1.3-2.0 cm, abruptly narrowed to a stipe, glabrous, flat, 1-3 seeded
Seed: The seeds weigh 18500- 35000 per Kg


Plate 1.8 Pods of Delbrgia sissoo Roxb.