Pterocarpus indicus (narra)

Fabaceae (legume family)

bluwota (Vanuatu); liki (Solomon Islands); narra, amboyna, rosewood, Burmese rosewood (trade names); narra,
rosewood (English); New Guinea rosewood (Papua New Guinea); pinati (Samoa); santal rouge amboine (French)
Lex A. J. Tomson
In brIef
Distribution Native to Southeast and East
Asia and to the northern and southwest Pa-
cifc region; now distributed widely through-
outthetropics.
Size Typically reaches 2535 m (82115 ft) in
heightwithabroadcanopywhengrowninthe
open.
Habitat Growsatelevationsof11300m(3.3
4300ft)withannualrainfallof13004000mm
(50160in).
Vegetation Trives best in riverine, closed,
andsecondaryforests.
Soils Adapted to a range of soils, growing
bestondeep,fertile,loamy,alluvialsoils.
Growth rate In optimal conditions, height
growthmaybe2m/yr(6.6ft/yr)forthefrst
34 years, slowing to about 1 m/yr (3.3 ft/yr)
thereafter.
Main agroforestry uses Soil stabilization,
windbreaks,ornamental.
Mainproducts Timber.
Yields Estimated at 510 m
3
/ha/yr (72144
ft
3
/ac/yr)overa3040yearrotation,onopti-
malsites.
Intercropping Planted as boundary and
windbreak around food crops or as a living
fencearoundpastures.
Invasive potential Has limited potential to
invadeundisturbednativeplantcommunities.
Species Profles for Pacifc Island Agroforestry
www.traditionaltree.org
April2006
ver.2.1
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2 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
InTrODUCTIOn
Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) is a briefy deciduous, majes-
tic tree typically growing to 2535 m (82115 ft) in height.
Grownunderopenconditions,thecanopydiameterissim-
ilartothetreeheight.Ithasaverywidenaturaldistribu-
tioninSoutheastandEastAsiaextendingeastwardtothe
northernandsouthwestPacifcregion.Itmaybefoundin
variousplantcommunitiesbutattainsitsbestdevelopment
inriverine,tropical,closedandsecondaryforests,including
thoseneartothecoastandfringingtidalwaterways.Narra
is widely planted for amenity and ornamental purposes
throughoutthehumidtropics.
Narraisadaptedtosubtropicalandtropical(meanannual
temperature 2232C [7290F]), subhumid/humid low-
lands.Intropicalregionsitcangrowwellathighereleva-
tions.Afewpopulationsareabletocopewithaprolonged
dryseasonofsixormoremonths.Narraisalsowelladapt-
edtostrongwinds,andestablishedtreesusuallystandup
wellincyclones,suferingonlybranchbreakage.
Tespeciesoccursonaverywiderangeofsoils,attaining
itsbestdevelopmentindeep,fertile,loamyalluvialsoils.It
is normally found growing in well drained, sandy to clay
loamsofmildlyacidictomildlyalkalinepH.
Itisoneofthemostpromisingmultipurposetreespeciesin
thePacifcislandsforreforestation,village-levelwoodlots,
living fencing, and large amenity trees. It is traditionally
one of the most important multipurpose trees for timber
andmedicine.Itfxesnitrogenandreproducesreadily,both
byseedandfromcuttings.Ongoodsitesandwhenopen
grown it is moderately fast growing, but closely spaced
plantingsonlessfertilesitesarelikelytogrowslowlyand
not be economically viable for timber production. It is
consideredveryunlikelytobecomeaninvasiveweedyspe-
cies.Itisindeclineinmostpartsofitsnaturalrangedue
toexcessiveandoftenillegalexploitationfortimber,andit
hasbeenconsideredforexclusionfrominternationaltrade
(CITESnomination).
Ithaslimitedpotentialforinterplantingwithcropsdueto
itslargesizeandheavyshade.However,duetoitseaseof
establishment through branch cuttings, it could be man-
aged in an alley farming confguration. It is generally re-
gardedasausefultreeforborderingfoodgardensdueto
its inputs of nitrogen-rich leaf fall and its valuable wind-
breakfunction.
DISTrIbUTIOn
Native range
NarrahasawidedistributioninSoutheastandEastAsia,
includingsouthernMyanmar,Cambodia,southernChina,
Vietnam,Philippines,Brunei,Malaysia,andIndonesia.It
extendseasttothenorthernPacifc(RyukyuIslands/Japan,
Yap and Pohnpei [Federated States of Micronesia], and
Palau) and southeast to New Guinea, New Britain, New
IrelandandManus,theSolomonIslands,andVanuatu.
Current distribution
Tespecieshasbeenintroducedtoothertropicalregions
and countries including the Caribbean and the tropical
Americas (Cuba, southern Florida/USA, Granada, Guy-
ana, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico,Trinidad),
Africa (Congo, Sierra Leone,Tanzania), Asia (India, Sri
Lanka,Taiwan),andsomePacifcislands(Guam,Hawaii,
Fiji,andSamoa).
bOTAnICAL DeSCrIPTIOn
Preferred scientifc name
Pterocarpus indicusWilld.
TegenusnameisderivedfromtheGreekpteron,which
means wing, and karpos, which means fruit, referring to
thefat,wingedpodscharacteristicofthegenus.
Family
Fabaceae(legumefamily)
Subfamily
Faboideae
Non-preferred scientifc names
Pterocarpus carolinensisKaneh.
Pterocarpus dracosensuauct.
Pterocarpus indicaWilld.
Common names
Pacihcislands
bluwota(Vanuatu)
liki(SolomonIslands)
narra,amboyna,rosewood,Burmeserosewood(trade
names)
narra,rosewood(English)
NewGuinearosewood(PapuaNewGuinea)
pinati(Samoa)
santalrougeamboine(French)
SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 3
SolomonIslands
Kwaraae,Tooabaita liki
Ngini,Kwaio,Bugotu ligi
Ayiwo nyia neli
Vaiakau na
GraciosaBay noieni
Roviana ringi
Morovo rigi
Kusage dandara
Varisi nakumu
Maringa grigi
SantaAna riki
Vanuatu
Bislamalanguage bluwota
TorresIsland:Loh/Lungharagi neniera
BanksGroup:VanuaLava/Mosina narara
BanksGroup:Gaua/Lambot nar
Maewo:Naone nanara
Santo:Petawata navilae
Santo:Penour navulae
Santo:Valpei vulae
Santo:Narango philai
Santo:Sarete philae
Santo:HogHarbour nula
Malo:Naviaru vuvilae
Malekula:Larevat nakambis
Malekula:Potindir weiwuli
Malekula:Bubar nusmar
Epi:Moriu burmeia, purmeia
Erromango:Ipota vohovati
Tanna:Ikutingting nakautufe
Tanna:Greenhill kautufa
Aniwa:Kaokao kautora
Aneityum:PortPatrick kautofa
Aneityum:Anelghowat nakautefa
Size and form
Abriefydeciduous,majestic,largetreetypically
growingto2535(48)m(82115[160]ft)tall
andaboutthesamecanopywidthinopensitu-
ations.Trees have a large, rather dense canopy.
Te semi-pendulous lower branches may ex-
tendtoneargroundlevelinopensites.
Flowers
Floweringisofteninitiatedbeforethenewleaf
fush but continues after leaf fushing. Flower-
ingtakesplaceinseveralshortburstsofabout
12 days duration.Te pea-shaped fowers are
bright yellow to orange-yellow, about 1.5 cm
(0.6in)long,fragrant,andarrangedinbranched
axillary racemes.Te fowers are borne in pro-
fusion,addingtotheornamentalappealoftreeswhenin
fullfower.Seasonalityoffoweringvariesgeographically.
Flowering seasons:
Country/Area Flowering period
PapuaNewGuinea MayOctober
SolomonIslands
WesternProvince
MalaitaProvince
MakiraProvince
Choiseul/SantaIsobel
SantaCruzGroup
(March)JuneJuly(August)
(May)Oct.Nov.(Dec.)
( July)Oct.Dec.(Jan.)
JuneJuly
SeptemberDecember
Vanuatu
TorresandBanksIs.
Santo,Malo,Maewo
Malekula,Ambrym,
andEpi
TannaandAneityum
( June)OctoberDecember(Mar.)
( July)AugustOctober(Nov.)
OctoberDecember(April)
DecemberJanuary(April)
Philippines ( January)AprilMay(July)
Leaves
Te bright green, imparipinnate leaves are arranged alter-
natelyonthebranchlets.Treesareeitherbriefyfullydecid-
uousormaybeevergreeninuniformlyhumidzones.Te
newfushofleavesislightgreen,turningdarkmid-green.
Eachleafhas(5)79(11)alternatelyarranged,ovateleaf-
lets;eachleafetisabout612cm(2.44.8in)longby37
cm(1.22.8in)wide,withanentiremargin.Teterminal
leafetislarger,withthesmallestleafetsinthelowestpair
ontherachis.
Fruit
Tepodsarethin,paperywinged,disc-shaped,about56
cm(22.4in)across,andborneinclusters.Teyarelight
green,turningdullbrownwhenfullymature.
Te short bursts of fowers are very showy. photo:C.ELEvitCh
4 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
Pods are indehiscent: internally the pod is
divided by cross-walls into four or fve seed
chambers, of which one or two (rarely three)
maycontaindevelopedseeds.
Te seeds mature about 34 (5) months after
fowering.Tefruitingperiodvariesgeographi-
cally. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) the pods
ripen from early December to March. Some
podsfallwhileothersremainonthetreeupto
theendofMay.IntheSolomonIslandsseeds
mature sometime during the period from July
to January.Te main fruiting period in north-
ernVanuatu is November to January, while in
centralandsouthernVanuatuitisfromJanuary
toMarch.InFiji,seedsmaturearoundMarch
April.
Tetimetobearingfruitdependsontheplant-
ing material. Plants established from large
branch cuttings taken from mature trees typi-
callyfowerandfruitwithin23years.Treeses-
tablished from seedlings may take many years
(e.g.,probablymorethan57years)beforepro-
ducingusefulquantitiesofseed.
Seeds
Teseedsarefattened,bean-shaped,68mm(0.20.3in)
longwithaleathery,althoughratherbrittle,seedcoat.Pod/
seeddispersalismainlybywind.Podscanfoat,andwater
dispersalislikelytoalsobesignifcantforriverinepopula-
tions.
Rooting habit
Trees have a well developed near-surface lateral rooting
structure.YoungplantscompetepoorlywithImperataand
othertall,vigorousgrassesandneedtoberegularlyweed-
edongrassysites.Forestablishmentongrassysites,good
pre-plantingcontrolofgrassesisessential,andaonce-only
treatment with glyphosate herbicide is recommended for
thispurpose.Becauserootscangrowlargenearthesurface,
it is best to grow the tree well away from sidewalks and
pavement.
Similar species
Narra is a very distinctive tree in terms of its general ap-
pearance,leaves,fowers,andfruits,andtherearenosimilar
species,eithernaturallyoccurringorplanted,inthePacifc
islands(asidefromrecentsmalltrialsof Pterocarpus macro-
carpusandP. dalbergioidesonKolombagaraintheSolomon
Islands).
GeneTICS
Variability of species
Morphological variation was well documented by Rojo
(1972).Tereisconsiderableintraspecifcvariationinmor-
phologicalcharacteristics,suchasleafet,fower,andfruit
size, shape, and hairiness, as expected for a species with
a wide geographic and ecological range. Larger-fruited
forms are found in Melanesia (PNG, Solomon Islands,
andVanuatu).Tereisalsoconsiderablevariationinwood
properties. In diferent parts of Vanuatu, two folk variet-
iesareoftendistinguishedonthebasisofwoodcharacters
(suchaswidthofsapwood,colorofheartwood).
Known varieties
Teonlyformallynamedvarietyisformaechniatus(Pers.)
Rojo from Southeast Asia (including Philippines and
Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia). Tis form is distin-
guishedfromthetypeformbyitsspinyorpricklyfruits.
Culturally important related species in the genus
Pterocarpus macrocarpus(inSoutheastAsia,Indochina)and
P. dalbergioides (Andaman Islands, India, and Burma) are
highlyvaluedlocaltimbertrees,withtheformerbeingvery
importantforfurnitureandwoodenarticlesforBuddhist
templesinTailandandVietnam.
Mature pods can often be found on trees. photo:C.ELEvitCh
SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 5
ASSOCIATeD PLAnT SPeCIeS
Its best development is in riverine, tropical, closed, and
secondaryforests.Inthesesituationsitmayoccurinsmall
patchesofnearlymonospecifcstands.Italsooccursinsea-
sonallydry,semi-deciduoushillforestsandfringingman-
groveswamps.
Associated native species commonly found
On Santo,Vanuatu, it occurs naturally with Antiaris toxi-
caria,Barringtonia spp.,canariumnut(Canarium indicum),
Castanospermum australe,Dendrocnidespp.,Dracontomelon
vitiense,whitewood(Endospermummedullosum),andPangi-
um edule.InPNGitcommonlyoccurswithKingiodendron
alternifolium.InthePhilippinesitoccurswithCalophyllum
blancoi,Intsia bijuga,Syzygium simile,and Vitex parvifora.
Species commonly associated as aboriginal intro-
ductions in Pacifc islands
TetreeappearstohavebeenintroducedtoPacifcislands
afterEuropeancontact.
Species commonly associated in modern times or
as recent Pacifc island introduction
Narra is a large amenity tree grown in association with
othercommonlyplantedtreessuchasAdenanthera pavoni-
na,candlenut(Aleurites moluccana),breadfruit(Artocarpus
altilis), ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata), Citrus spp., coco-
nut (Cocos nucifera), Delonix regia, Dracontomelon vitiense,
Ficus spp., Tahitian chestnut (Inocarpus fagifer), mango
(Mangifera indica), tava (Pometia pinnata), Spathodea cam-
panulata,Spondias dulcis,mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla),
and Malayapple(Syzygium malaccense).
Left: Extensive shallow root system presumably exposed by erosion.photo:C.ELEvitCh Right: Lower trunk of large tree. photo:
L.thomson
6 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
enVIrOnMenTAL PreferenCeS
AnD TOLerAnCeS
Narraisadaptedtothesubtropicalandtropical,subhumid/
humidlowlands(upto600m[1970ft]).Intropicalregions
itcangrowwellathigherelevations(uptoabout1300m
[4300ft]).Somepopulations,e.g.,inEastNusaTengarra,
Indonesiaarewelladaptedtoprolongeddryseasonsofsix
ormoremonths.
Climate
Ilevationrange
11300m(3.34300ft)
Meanannualrainfall
13004000mm(50160in)
Rainfallpattern
It favors environments with summer, bimodal, and uni-
formrainfallpatterns.
ryseasonduration(consecutivemonthswith<40
mmrainfall)
06months
Meanannualtemperature
2232C(7290F)
Meanmaximumtemperatureofhottestmonth
2934C(8493F)
Meanminimumtemperatureofcoldestmonth
1824C(6475F)
Minimumtemperaturetolerated
58C(4146F)
Soils
Narraisadaptedtoaverywiderangeofsoils,attainingits
bestdevelopmentondeep,fertile,loamy,alluvialsoils.Itis
mostcommonlyfoundgrowinginwelldrained,sandyto
clay loams of slightly acid to slightly alkaline pH. How-
ever, particular populations may be adapted to diferent
soiltypes,e.g.,infertile,alkaline,stonysoilsonSumbaand
East NusaTenggara (Indonesia). In the Philippines it is
mainlyfoundonalkalinesoils.
Soiltexture
Itcangrowinlightandmedium-texturedsoils(sands,san-
dyloams,loams,andsandyclayloams).
Soildrainage
Itrequiresfreedrainageforbestgrowth.
Soilacidity
Tetreetoleratesacidtoneutralsoils(pH4.07.4).
Specialsoiltolerances
Narratoleratesshallow,sodic,andinfertilesoils.
Tolerances
rought
Teabilitytotoleratedroughtisexpectedtovaryconsid-
erablybetweenprovenances,withthemostdrought-resis-
tant sources originating from eastern Indonesia (Sumba,
East NusaTengarra). Established trees from Melanesian
sourcesarelikelytotolerateadryseasonofmanymonths
(e.g.,46months),especiallyondeepersoils.
Iullsun
Tespeciesgrowsbestinfullsun,andmaturespecimens
will be present in the upper canopy or as canopy emer-
gents.
Shade
Itcantolerateupto25%shade.
Iire
Tetreeislikelytohavelimitedfretoleranceduetothin
bark,exceptpossiblyforsourcesfromregularly-fredgrassy
woodlandcommunitiesineasternIndonesia.
Irost
Itisexpectedtobeseverelydamagedorkilledbylowtem-
peratures(i.e.,lessthan58C[4146F]).
Waterlogging
It grows best on freely draining soil types, but its river-
inedistributionsuggestsitmustbeabletoatleasttolerate
shortperiods(severalweeksdurationormore)ofshallow
inundationverywell.
Saltspray
Narraisexpectedtobedamaged(includingsomeleafscald
anddrop)bysalt-ladenwinds,anditisnotrecommended
for planting in the most exposed seaside locations. How-
ever,itoftenoccursneartotheseaandpresumablyhasa
moderateleveloftoleranceoffoliarsaltspray.
Wind
Treeshaveoverallgoodtoleranceofbothsteadyandstorm
winds; e.g., mature trees planted in Fiji sufered minor
SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 7
damage during a particularly severe cyclone (Kina, Janu-
ary1993).
Abilities
Iixnitrogen
Narraisanitrogen-fxingtreethatnodulatesreadily.
Self-prune
Tespeciesgenerallyhasapoorself-pruninghabit,atleast
inopenareas.
Coppice
Tecoppicingabilityisnotwellknown,butcutandfallen
treesarereportedtocoppicewellinVanuatuandPNG.
Pollard
Te species regrows fairly well after moderately heavy
pruning, but the longer-term responses to occasional or
regularpollardingareunknown.
Narra nodulates readily with nitrogen-fxing bacteria. photo:
J.B.Friday
GrOWTH AnD DeVeLOPMenT
Plantshaveanintermediatebuthighlyvariablegrowthrate:
initiallygrowthisdirectedtowardshootelongation,espe-
ciallyinmoreshadedsituations,andthenlaterintostem
diametergrowth.Rapiddiametergrowthisdependenton
plantshavingsufcientspaceandlightfordevelopmentof
an extensive crown. Plants established from large branch
cuttings have the fastest growth, e.g., averaging 2.5 cm (1
in)diameteratbreastheight(dbh)growthperannum(up
toa4cm[1.6in]dbhannualincrement).InCebu(Philip-
pines)themeanannualdiameterincrementincreasedwith
age, such that for the frst 1112 years the diameter incre-
mentaveragedlessthan0.5cm(0.2in)peryear,butby26
years it was averaging 1.1 cm/yr (0.4 in/yr). Initiation of
heartwoodmaynotbegintooccuruntilmanyyearsafter
planting;e.g.,about1819yearsinthePhilippines.
Growth rate
Heightgrowthishighlydependentonsite.Ondeep,well
watered, fertile, lightly shaded sites, height growth may
reach2m/yr(6.6ft/yr)inthefrst34years,beforeslow-
ing to about 1 m/yr (3.3 ft/yr). In open areas plants have
aplagiotrophicgrowthhabitwithpoorapicaldominance.
Te shoot leader grows 1.53 m (510 ft) before bending
over,growingalmostlaterallybeforeanothermoreupright
leader emerges and takes over. Trough this process the
bole self-straightens to a large extent. In the open, how-
ever,plantsmaydevelopamulti-stemmed,branchyhabit,
andheightgrowthmayonlybe0.50.75m(1.62.5ft)per
year.Teonlygrowthdataforthef.echniatusindicatedan
averageheightgrowthincrementof0.61.2m(24ft)per
year.
Reaction to competition
Weedcontrolisimportantforatleastthefrst24yearsto
reduce competition until the trees grow large enough to
castenoughshadetosuppressundergrowth.
PrOPAGATIOn
Narracanbepropagatedfromseeds,cuttings,grafting,and
tissueculture.Seedlingsandlargebranchcuttingsarethe
mostcommonmethodsofpropagation.
Seedlings
Seedcollection
Tetimeforcollectionofripefruitsvariesbyregion.Pod
maturityisindicatedbyacolorchangefromlightgreento
brown.Somepodsfallordispersesoonaftermaturing,but
mostremainonthetreeforseveralmonths.Itispreferable
to collect mature fruits by climbing into the canopy and
lopping fruit-laden branches or else shaking and/or beat-
ing with long poles to dislodge fruits onto tarpaulins on
theground.
Seedprocessing
Fruitsmaybede-wingedinordertoreducebulkandim-
provestorability.Dewingingisdoneusingahammermill
or brushing machine ftted with hard brushes.Tere are
about 15003000 (Av=2300) air-dried pods per kg (3300
6600 [Av=5000] pods/lb). Typically about 50% of fruits
contain one healthy seed, but the percentage of viable
8 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
seedmaybeaslowas1020%.Withabout50%offruits
containingonehealthyseed,thereare12001300seeds/kg
(26402860 seeds/lb) of air-dried pods. Tere are about
13,000extractedseeds/kg(28,600seeds/lb).
Seedstorage
Storage behavior is orthodox, with seed being able to
be safely dried down to 4% moisture content.Te initial
moisturecontentofseedswasfoundtobearound1617%
onafreshweightbasis.Temostsuitablemethodforlon-
ger-term storage, i.e., several years, is to store de-winged
fruitsatlowtemperatureandmoisturecontent.
Seedpretreatment
Seedsaretypicallysownstillencasedintheirindehiscent
pod into either open nursery beds, seed trays, or directly
into individual containers (especially if extracted seed
is used). Te germination rate is improved if seeds are
extracted from the pod before sowing; however, no pre-
treatment is required for germination. Seed extraction is
notrecommendedforroutinesowing,asitisaslow,man-
ual process, often resulting in some damage to extracted
seeds(andreducingtheirviabilityand/orstoragelife).
Growingarea
Itispreferabletogerminateseedsinashelteredarea,such
asashadehouse.Seedlingsshouldalsobekeptinsheltered
areaswithlightshade(2550%)for24weeksaftertrans-
planting.Teymaythenmovedintoanopennurserysitua-
tionandshouldbegrownandhardenedinfullsunlightfor
atleast68weekspriortofeldplanting.Seedlingsderived
fromdirect-sownfruitsmaybegrownintheopenifnurs-
eryinfrastructureisunavailable.
Germination
Tefruitsarepushed,onthefattenedside,intosoiltoa
depth of about 10 mm (0.4 in), and then covered with a
thin layer of soil. If extracted seeds are used, they should
belaidfatandshallowlycoveredwith23mm(0.080.12
in)ofmedia/soil.Lightshadeshouldbeprovided,andthe
seedbedmulched.Seedsbegintogerminate34daysafter
sowing.Tegerminationrateisabout2440%at415days
aftersowing.Transplantgerminantsintoindividualpotsat
thecotyledonorfour-leafstage.
Media
Afreely-draining,standardnurserypottingmediumisrec-
ommended.
Approximatesizeatoutplanting
Seedlingstakeabout4monthstoreachasuitablesizefor
feldplanting;i.e.,about25cm(10in)tall.
Guidelinesforoutplanting
Seedlingsneedtobeplantedintowellweededandmain-
tained areas, preferably with light to moderate shade to
encourageapicaldominanceandbetterstemform.
Direct-seeding
Direct-seeding is often the best method for outplanting.
It eliminates any transplant trauma. It also allows plant-
ingmultipleseeds,sothatthebest-formed,mostvigorous
seedling can be selected at each planting site. Te draw-
backs of direct-seeding include risk of predator damage
(e.g., rats, pigs, cattle), lack of rains to sustain the newly
germinated seeds, and the mandatory frequent mainte-
nancethatmustbedonetoensureweedsdonotsmother
thesmallseedlings.
Indirect-seeding,anareaispreparedforeachplantingspot,
clearedofweeds,andcultivatedtoadepthof50cm(20in)
ifthesoiliscompacted.Itisrecommendedthat510pods
besowninthefnalplantinglocation,inordertoensureat
leastonehealthy,vigorousgerminantperposition.Ideally,
direct-sownfruitsshouldbesownearlyinthewetseason
andfairlysoonafterthefrstgoodrainshavebeenreceived.
Fruitsareplantedatadepthof2cm(0.8in).
Other propagation methods
Stemcuttingscanbetakenfromtreesofanyageandsize,
but cuttings of diameter 6 cm (2.2 in) or larger will root
betterthancuttingsofsmallerdiameter.InthePhilippines,
30-cm-long(10in)cuttingstakenfromtreesapproximately
20yearsoldwereplantedinplasticbagsandplacedunder
shade. Tey developed shoots and roots and became
established.Trees established from large branch cuttings
haveagreatertendencytobeafectedbyheartrot,andthis
propagation method should be avoided if timber produc-
tionisamajorobjectiveofplanting.
Graftingisalsopossible.Budsonscionswereobservedto
develop5daysaftergrafting,atwhichtimecallusformation
atthepointofstock-scionunionwasalsoobvious.
Tespeciescanbesuccessfullypropagatedthroughtissue
culture,butthereisminimumneedforthismethodgiven
ease of propagation by seed and conventional vegetative
cuttings.
DISADVAnTAGeS
Tespeciesmaindrawbacksare
pooradaptabilitytolessfertileanddriersites,includ-
ingslowgrowth
lateonsetofheartwoodformation

SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 9
lackofknowledgeconcerningbestseedsources
itslarge,spreading,anddensecanopyandpoorstem
forminopensituationslimititspotentialforinclusion
inmostagroforestrysystems.
Potential for invasiveness
Te species has low potential to invade undisturbed na-
tive plant communities and has not been reported to be-
comewidelynaturalizedwhenplantedoutsideofitsnative
habitats.Teexceptionallyhighvalueanddemandforits
timber further mitigate against its spread, as larger trees
capableofproducingsizablefruitcropswouldlikelybecut
andutilizedfortimber.
Pests and diseases
Tespeciesisvariouslyafectedbypestsanddiseasesinits
native habitats. Te most serious insect pests include an
unidentifed leaf miner in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
(possiblyHyloconis,whichisrecordedfromMalaysia)and
acaterpillar(Melipotis diversipennis)inSumatra,Indonesia.
Plantsmayalsobedamagedbysap-suckingpsyllids.Seeds
maybeinfectedbythefungusPhomopsis.Fungaldamage
has been reported on seedlings, including anthracnose
(Glomerella cingulata/Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)andleaf
spots(Cyllindrocladium quinoseptatum, Phyllcora pterocarpii,
Pestalotia sp., Guignardia sp., Phyllosticta sp., and Aldora
stella-nigra).Asoftscale(Coccus longulus)hasbeennoted
inFiji.Aninsectpest(Agrilussp.)hasbeenrecordedinthe
SolomonIslands.
Rootfungaldiseasescanbereducedinthenurserythrough
useofsterilizedandfreelydrainingmedia,avoidingdense
sowing of seeds, and early sanitary disposal of diseased
seedlings.
Largertreesmaybeafectedbypotentiallyseriousrootand
stem rots including Fomes lamaoensis, Ganoderma lucidum,
andPhellinus noxius.Anunknowndiseasecausedextensive
dieback and death in street trees in Malaysia in the late
1800stotheearly1900s.
Host to crop pests/pathogens
Nodataavailable.
AGrOfOreSTrY/enVIrOnMenTAL
PrACTICeS
Mulch/organicmatter
It has excellent potential to provide surface mulch and
buildsoilorganicmatterduetoitsnitrogen-fxingcapac-
ityanditsannualleaffall(deciduous)habit.

Soilstabilization
Te tree has excellent potential for soil stabilization, es-
pecially along drainage lines and food plains, due to its
adaptation to such sites, large buttresses, and extensive,
spreading,near-surfacerootsystem.
Cropshade/overstory
Telargecanopyandheavyshademakethespeciesunsuit-
able as a crop shade for all but the most shade-tolerant
species.Ithasbeenusedasshadetreeforcofee.
Alleycropping
Narramighthavepotentialforalleycroppinggivenitsni-
trogen-fxingpotentialandeaseofpropagationbybranch
cuttings. However, there are generally other better-prov-
enleguminoustreespeciesavailableforthisrole,suchas
Calliandra calothyrsus,Gliricidia sepium, andLeucaena spp.
Homegardens
Itisunsuitableforhomegardensduetoitslargesizeand
spread.
Improvedfallows
Tetreehassomepotentialforplantingasimprovedfallow,
including for short rotations by using branch cuttings to
quicklyestablishplantation.Inashort-rotationimproved
fallow,branchcuttingsenablearapidandcheapestablish-
mentandashorterweedingperiod.
Iivingfences
Itiswidelyusedasalivingfenceduetoeaseofestablish-
mentbylargebranchcuttings.
Boundarymarkers
Hassomepotentialasaboundarymarkerduetoitslongev-
ityandcycloneresistanceandissometimesplantedforthis
purpose,e.g.,intheReefIslands(SolomonIslands),where
itisbelievedtobeneftgardensthroughfallofN-richleaf
litter and cycling of mineral nutrients from deep soil lay-
ers.Neighboringfarmersmaynotalwaysappreciatenarra
beingusedasaboundarymarkerduetoitscanopyspread
andpossibleexcessiveshadingofcropsand/orpastures.
Windbreaks
Tespeciesiswind-frm,oftenwithbranchesdroopingto
neargroundlevel,andiswellsuitedforwindbreakplant-
ingwherespacepermits.
Silvopasture
A few trees might be included in each paddock in
silvopastoralsystemstoprovideshadeforlivestock.
10 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
Animalfodder
Nodataavailable.
Woodlot
Has potential for woodlot planting, especially due to the
highvalueofitstimber,althoughitisnotsuitableforshort-
termrotations.
Nativeanimal/birdfood
Nodataavailable.
Wildlifehabitat
Consideredtobeanimportantwildlifehabitattreeinthe
Philippines.
Beeforage
Tescentedfowersareregularlyvisitedbyalargenumber
ofbeespecies,includinghoneybees,andthetreeisconsid-
eredtobeimportantsourceofnectarand/orpollen.
Iish/marinefoodchain
Itgrowsinthelowerreachesofmajorrivers,includingtid-
alcreeks,andislikelytobeimportantforstabilizingsoils
and maintaining water quality in these sensitive habitats
thatarevitaltothemarinefoodchain.
Coastalprotection
Itoftengrowsneartotheseaandisusefulforcoastalpro-
tection,butisnotrecommendedforplantinginthemost
exposedsites.
Ornamental
Narra is an outstanding ornamental tree for large public
parksandavenueplantings.
USeS AnD PrODUCTS
Narra produces a beautifully fgured and richly colored
timberwithexcellentworkingandtechnicalproperties.It
has been traditionallyused throughoutSouth and South-
east Asia and western Pacifc islands for a wide range of
products,includinglightconstructionpurposes,furniture,
andtools.Insomepartsofitsrange,suchasVietnam,the
specieshasbeenextinctforseveralcenturiesasaresultof
over-exploitation. Some trees produce strongly fgured
woodknownasAmbonesegnarlwood,oramboyna,that
Left: Te broad canopy is too dense for most understory crops. Right: Te drooping branches are advantageous for shade in
many public situations. photos:C.ELEvitCh
SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 11
is highly sought after for craftwood and face veneers for
high-value end uses. Narra wood is durable in salt water,
particularly the wood obtained from trees growing near
thesea,andisapreferredspeciesforcanoesandboatsand
theiraccessories.NarraisoneoftheAsia-Pacifcregions
fnest timbers, and it is highly favored for use in interior
joinery,paneling,decorativefooring,musicalinstruments,
precisiontools,andhandicrafts.
Troughoutitsnativerangeitisanimportanttreesforuse
in preparation of traditional herbal medicines. Diferent
partsofthetree,notablybarkextracts,areusedinthetreat-
mentofawiderangeofailmentsandillnesses,particularly
thosepertainingtothedigestivesystemandskin.Inrecent
times it has been claimed in the Philippines (Research
Centre for Tropical Medicine) to have amazing healing
propertiesfordiverseandmajorillnesses,butfurthertrials
areneededtoverifysuchclaims.
Tespeciesiswidelyplantedforamenitypurposesdueto
its
ornamental appeal (large spreading habit, excellent
shadetree,andmassesoffragrantyellowfowers)
stabilityandwind-frmness
ease of establishment and quick landscape impact
throughuseoflargebranchcuttings
longevity.
ItiswidelyplantedasastreettreeinthePhilippines,Ma-
laysia, and Singapore and is used for living fences in the
SolomonIslandsandVanuatu.
Ieafvegetable
Teyoungleavesandfowersareeaten,butonlyrarely.

Medicinal
Narra has a vast number of traditional medicinal uses re-
ported,especiallyfrombarkextracts.Inseveralregionsthe
shreddedbarkisboiledandthefuidtakenorallyfortreat-
mentofdysenteryanddiarrhea.InPNGitisusedtotreat
tuberculosis, headaches, and sores, and as a purgative. In
the Solomon Islands it is used to treat dysentery, heavy
menstruation,andgonorrhea.InVanuatuitisusedtotreat
cutsandwounds,andstomachacheanddiarrheaininfants.
InMalaysiajuiceextractedfromtherootshasbeenused
totreatsyphiliticsoresandmouthulcers.InIndonesiathe
youngleaveshavebeenusedinthetreatmentofboils,ul-
cers,andpricklyheatrashes.
In recent years, herbal teas and pills made from narra ex-
tracts have been popularized in the Philippines for treat-
ingawiderangeofdiseasesandailmentsincludingleprosy,
menstrualpain,fu,rheumatoidarthritis,anddiabetes.
Beautiful/fragrantowers
Tebrightyellowfowersarebothornamentalandsweetly
fragrant.
Timber
Narraproducesoneoftheworldsmosthighlyprizedcabi-
nettimbersdecorativewithexcellentworkingandtech-
nical properties.Te wood is moderately hard and heavy
(550900kg/m
3
[3456lb/ft
3
]at15%moisturecontent),and
easilycutandworkedbysaws,planes,andothertools.Te
heartwood is streaked, light yellowish-brown to reddish-
brown,andreadilydistinguishedfromthepale,yellowish
sapwood.
Tewoodishighlydurableinlow-decaysituations,suchas
interioruses.Tesapwoodissusceptibletolyctid(powder-
Left: Bees and other pollinators frequent narra when it is in blossom. Right: When pruned, the tree can even be used in tight
landscaping areas. photos:C.ELEvitCh
12 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
postbeetles),whiletheheartwoodisonlyinfrequentlyat-
tackedbytermites.Durabilityingroundcontactisreport-
edlyextremelyvariable,lastingfrom23upto2025years.
It is an important commercial timber species wherever it
occurs,andithasbeenoverexploitedandhasbecomerare
orextinctinpartsofSoutheastAsia.
Iuelwood
Te wood is an excellent, hot fuel but is only rarely used
forthispurpose.
Craftwood/tools
Te wood is valued for making craft items, being highly
decorative and easily turned and worked by hand tools.
Some trees, especially from the island of Seram (Indone-
sia), produce strongly fgured wood known as Ambonese
gnarl wood, or amboyna, that is highly sought after for
craftwood.IntheSolomonIslandsandVanuatuthelarge
plank buttresses are cut into doors and seats, while burls
are favored for making ornate bowls and for slicing into
decorativefaceveneersforhigh-valueenduses.
Canoe/boat/raftmaking
InMelanesiaitisimportantforcanoes,paddles,andout-
riggerbeds.Itisconsideredaverygoodboat-buildingtim-
berduetoitsdurabilityinseawater,includinggoodresis-
tancetomarineborers.
Tannin/dye
Teheartwoodcontainsvariousredcompounds,andinthe
Philippinestheheartwoodisusedtomakeareddye.Te
barkextractcanbeusedfortanning.
In contact with water the wood/bark imparts a blue fuo-
rescence,whichgivesrisetothecommonnameinVanuatu
Bislama,bluwota.
Cosmetic/soap/perfume
Aninfusionfromtheleavesissometimesusedasshampoo
inthePhilippines.
COMMerCIAL CULTIVATIOn
Teprincipalcommercialproductistimber,bothforlocal
usesandforexport.Tetimberisusedforhigh-classfur-
nitureandcabinets,decorativeslicedveneer,interiorwall
paneling, feature fooring (including strip and parquet),
musicalinstruments,gunstocksandrifebutts,turnedar-
ticles,knifehandles,boatbuilding,andspecializedjoinery.
Itisalsousedforlightbuildingconstructionpurposesin-
cludingposts.
In Papua New Guinea, narra is an important commer-
cial timber that fetches high prices.Te export of logs is
banned,andonlyprocessedwoodisexported.
InthePhilippines,exportofnarrawoodwas3millionkg
(6.6millionlb)in1985,decliningto2.3millionkg(5mil-
lionlb)in1986(57%processed)and430,000kg(950,000
lb)in1987(allprocessed).Fromthattime,exporthasbeen
Top: Trunk with burl. Bottom: High-end products made
from narra burl. photos:J.naupa
SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 13
negligible,andatpresentthereisatotalcuttingbanonthe
species.
Duetosupplyshortagesthereisrelativelylimitedinterna-
tionaltradeinnarraatpresent.Teprice(in2004)forsawn
boardsfromPapuaNewGuinea,theSolomonIslandsand
VanuatuwasUS$600800/m
3
(US$1723/ft
3
)FOB.
Spacing
Te recommended initial plantation density is about 400
trees/ha(162trees/ac),oraspacingof8x3m(26x10ft).
Oneormoreselectivethinningsreducesthedensitydown
toafnalcropdensityof100150treesperha(4060trees/
ac).Closerinitialspacings,e.g.,2.53x2.53m(810x810
ft),maybeemployedinordertogainmorerapidsitecon-
trol and provide greater choice for selecting well formed
treesforretentionasfnalcroptrees.
Tearearequiredforcommercialproductionofnarratim-
ber depends on factors such as distance to processing fa-
cilities, markets, and the number of other growers. For a
smallholderanareaofaslittleas1ha(2.5ac),or100trees,
may provide worthwhile fnancial returns.Te plantation
area of commercial timber species required to supply a
viable larger sawmill is considered to be around 10,000
12,000ha(25,00030,000ac).
Management objectives and design consider-
ations
Te key management objective is to obtain an adequate
or high stocking of well formed trees. Management ap-
proachesinclude
useofseedsourceswithgoodstemform(buttheseare
yettobeestablished)
manipulatingremnantandplantedvegetationonsite
to provide appropriate light regimes (including inter-
mediatelevelsofshade)
closeinitialspacingtoenablethinningofpoorerphe-
notypes
regularweedingandvinecutting.
Advantages of polycultures
Narramaynaturallyoccurinnear-monospecifcstandsand
is expected to be amenable to growing in a monoculture.
Its nitrogen-fxing ability would enable it to be advanta-
geously grown with other moderately fast-growing tree
speciesthathaveahighnitrogenrequirement.
Yields
Tereisverylimitedyielddata.OnthemostfertilePacifc
islandssiteswithoptimumsilviculturetheyieldislikelyto

be 510 m
3
/ha/yr (72144 ft
3
/ac/yr) on a 3040 year rota-
tion.Onpoorersitesandwithlongerrotationstheyieldis
likelytobelessthan34m
3
/ha/yr(4357ft
3
/ac/yr).Inthe
Philippinesagrowthrateof12m
3
/ha/yr(172ft
3
/ac/yr)over
a 50-year rotation has been used for plantation planning
purposes,whichappearsoptimistic.
Markets
Narra timber is well known in the international timber
trade, and there are established markets in Asia, Europe,
theUSA,andAustralia/NZ.Tesemarketswouldaccept
largevolumesofsawntimberathighprices(e.g.,>US$600/
m
3
[US$17/ft
3
])ifitwereavailable.Narraisapreferredand
highly sought-after timber wherever it occurs, and local
marketsarealsoverygood.
InTerPLAnTInG/fArM
APPLICATIOnS
Example system 1
Iocation
ReefIslands,SolomonIslands.
escription
Te traditional method in which narra is planted as a
boundarymarkerontheedgeoffoodgardens.
Crop/treeinteractions
Narratreesprovidewindbreakandshelterforcrops.
Yields
Unknown yield, although more open-grown trees have
muchfasterdiameterincrementthaninclose-spacedplan-
tations.Leaffallfromoverhangingbranchesimprovesthe
soilfertilityandorganicmatter.
Spacing/densityofspecies
Te tree density is estimated at 1012 trees/ha (45 trees/
ac).
Example system 2
Iocation
Santo,Vanuatu.
Narra is the national tree of Philippines and more
than100,000ha(247,000ac)ofnarraplantationswere
establishedtherefrom1960to1990.
14 Pterocarpus indicus(narra)
escription
Tissystemisnewlydevelopedoverthepast2030years.
Narraisplantedaslivefencesaroundpasturepaddocks.
Yields
Trees grow moderately fast but have poor bole form and
limitedvaluefortimberduetohighincidenceofheartrot
anddegrade(duetobeingopen-grownplantsestablished
bymeansoflargebranchcuttings).Temainbeneftsare
low-cost,long-lastingfencingandpossiblysomebenefts
topastureintermsofnitrogeninputsthroughleaf-fall.
Crop/treeinteractions
Te trees provide useful shade for livestock in situations
wheretheexistingforesthasbeenfullyremoved.
Spacing/densityofspecies
Te spacing varies considerably, e.g., 510 m (1632 ft)
between larger specimens, and fence lines are often
interplanted with other living-fence species such as Hi-
biscus tiliaceus.
PUbLIC ASSISTAnCe AnD
AGrOfOreSTrY eXTenSIOn
Extension ofces for agroforestry and forestry in the Pa-
cifc:<http://www.traditionaltree.org/extension.html>.
InTerneT
Agroforestree database, World Agroforestry Centre
(ICRAF): http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/Sites/
TreeDBS/AFT/AFT.htm
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SpeciesProhlesforPacihcIslandAgroforestry(www.traditionaltree.org) 17
Species Profles for Pacifc Island Agroforestry (www.traditionaltree.org)
Pterocarpus indicus (narra)
Author:LexA.J.Tomson,SouthPacifcRegionalInitiativeofForestGeneticResources(SPRIG)Project,SPCForestryProgram,
Suva,Fiji(currentcontactinfo:IPGRI,ViadeiTreDenari472/a,00057Maccarese(Fiumicino),Rome,Italy;E-mail:L.Tomson@
cgiar.org).
Acknowledgments:TeauthorandpublisherthankJohnFrancis,DianeRagone,andJacquiWrightfortheirinput.Photocontribu-
tionsbyJ.B.FridayandJonNaupaaregreatlyappreciated.
Recommended citation:Tomson,L.A.J.2006.Pterocarpus indicus(narra),ver.2.1.In:Elevitch,C.R.(ed.).SpeciesProflesforPacifc
IslandAgroforestry.PermanentAgricultureResources(PAR),Hlualoa,Hawaii.<http://www.traditionaltree.org>.
Sponsors:PublicationwasmadepossiblebygeneroussupportoftheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgricultureWesternRegionSus-
tainableAgricultureResearchandEducation(USDA-WSARE)Program;SPC/GTZPacifc-GermanRegionalForestryProject;
USDANaturalResourcesConservationService(USDANRCS);StateofHawaiiDepartmentofLand&NaturalResourcesDivi-
sionofForestry&Wildlife;andtheUSDAForestServiceForestLandsEnhancementProgram.Tismaterialisbaseduponwork
supportedbytheCooperativeStateResearch,Education,andExtensionService,U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,andAgricultural
ExperimentStation,UtahStateUniversity,underCooperativeAgreement2002-47001-01327.
Series editor:CraigR.Elevitch
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