A large tree of the LEGUMINOSAE family, up to 30 meters high, having spreading branches; bark, brownish-gray and flaked. Leaves are even-pinnate, consisting of 10–18 pairs of small leaflets, rather closed together; petioles and rachis 5–12 cm long; leaflets oblong, 8–30 by 3–9 mm, opposite, pink or reddish when young, membranous and glabrous with obtuse or rounded apex and the base unequal. Inflorescence is in terminal raceme, yellowish-orange or pale green; consisting of calyx-tube narrow turbinate, with 4 imbricate segments, 1 cm long; petals 3, unequal, upper cordate, about 1 cm long, 2 lateral ones, narrowed towards the base; fertile stamens 3, base connate; ovary linear, about 7 mm long, pubescent, on a stalk adnate to the calyxtube. Pods are oblong, slightly curved, 5–15 by 1–2.5 cm, reddish brown. Seeds are glossy, dark brown, embedded in a thick, sticky, acid brown pulp.
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Ross, I.A. (2003). Tamarindus indica. In: Medicinal Plants of the World. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-365-1_27
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