Conservation Drive

Plantation and Awareness drive for Conservation of Yellow Palash (Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. Var. lutea (Witt.) Maheswari)

Overview

During my floristics exploration of Kalamb Tahsil of Yavatmal district, Maharashtra I sighted a tree laden with yellow colour flowers. Initially, I assume it might be the Tabebuia argentia tree which bears bright yellow flowers as the plant location is away from the road. For confirmation, on the next day, I went with my camera and high-resolution lenses to get more insights into plants. I was surprised and confirms the species is Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. var. lutea (Witt.) Maheswari. That is Yellow Palash. I ask local people about any other similar plants. They told me there were few but due to the road construction (Yavatmak-Kalamb highway) plants were cut and this is the only plant. Morphologically both the plant (Red and Yellow Palash) appear the same and it's difficult to identify in absence of flowers. It is not as common as red colored flowers.

Morphology

A medium-sized tree, 3- foliate leaves, middle leaflet large both; leaflets 4.0-20.5 x 2.5-18.0 cm, the shape of leaflets ovate-rhomboid, leaflets silky, pubescent beneath, glabrous above, flower buds with charismatic ivory-white coloured, flower yellowish or canary yellow, fruit, legume, oblong, brownish, single-seeded (Bot. Surv. India 3:92 (1961) 1962

Importance

Extract of flower possesses anthelmintic activity and anti-diabetic properties. The in-vitro anticancer activity has been studied, which showed significant antiproliferative activity and a dose-dependent effect⁠⁠. Compare with the red-orange Palash, Yellow Palash show better antioxidant activity and also rich in Polyphenolic content⁠. Moreover, the flowers of this tree are also a good source of flavonoids. This tree species is also used for timber, resin, fodder, and dye.

Strategy

Seed Collection

At the onset of the season in each year, after the maturity seed should be harvested. Awareness amongst the local people about the plant is necessary for the collection of the ripened seeds. For the large scale plantation of this threatened and valuable plant seeds should be sow in the pot or plots as soon as ripened seed harvested with regular watering to ensure the highest seed germination⁠. Instead of throwing the seeds in the forest or bare land, it would be preferred its sapling preparation for better monitoring and later on its relocation into the forest or the bare land.

Development of Monitoring plan
Monitoring of the plant would be enforced for more than 5 years to evaluate plants population sustainability on regular basis is recommended.

Distribution
Endemic to Deccan plateau of India B. Monosperma var. Lutea has a very fewer population, which is equalled to or less than 100 plants across the plateau (Yarra et al., 2018)⁠. One of the workshop on Conservation Assessment Management Planning for Medicinal Plant of Andhra Pradesh stated that B. Monosperma var. Lutea is a rare and endangered and also considered as globally endangered woody tree species (Aileni et al., 2014)⁠. The plant has been recorded from the Madhya Pradesh (Maheshwari, 1972; Wagh & Jain, 2013)⁠, Telangana (Yarra et al., 2016, 2018)⁠, Maharashtra state (Kamble et al., 2015; Patil & Mahajan, 2018; E. S. Reddy & Deshmukh, 2020; V. Reddy et al., 2016; Sant et al., 2014 and Reddy et al., 2016) and Andra Pradesh (C. Reddy et al., 2001; K. N. Reddy & Reddy, 2008)⁠ all record from Deccan plateau.

Yavatmal District
Recently (March 2021) I sighted a single plant in the forest of Belona village located in Kalamb Tahsil of Yavatmal district of Maharashtra state. This is the second record of the yellow Palash from the Yavatmal District after the first record by (E. S. Reddy & Deshmukh, 2020)⁠ and the first record from the Kalamb Tahsil. Therefore it is an urgent need for its conservation as only a single plant noted from the Tahsil.

Wardha District
Recently (April 2021) I sighted a single plant in Tiroda village located in Wardha Tahsil of Wardha district of Maharashtra state. This is the fourth plant of the yellow Palash from the Wardha District. single plant has been sighted which is adjacent to the highway and hence it is an urgent need for its conservation due to work of road expansion