Trembesi or rain tree or monkey pod tree or Albizia saman (Samanea saman) is a species of plant in the Fabaceae, a large tree, 30-40 meters high, 4.5 meters in diameter, tree crown 40-60 meters, irregularly shaped trunk, sometimes bent and swollen big.
S. saman has compound leaves with stalks about 7-15 cm long, 4-5 cm wide, dark green in color, the lower surface is velvety and soft. The leaves will fold when it rains and at night.
Flowers are white and bright red spots on the top, 10 cm long from base to tip. The crown tube is 3.7 cm long and has 20-30 stamens 3-5 cm long. Nectar for insects are very fond of.
The pods are straight, slightly curved, 10-20 cm long, 1.5-2 cm wide and 0.6 cm thick. The fruit is dark brown when ripe. Seeds embedded in reddish-brown flesh, very sticky, sweet containing 5-25 seeds with a length of 1.3 cm.
Trembesi absorbs 28.5 tons of carbon dioxide every year which an ordinary tree absorbs only 1 ton in a 20 year lifetime. This tree is also able to reduce gas concentrations effectively, without reforestation and has a strong ability to absorb groundwater.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Mimosoideae
Tribe: Ingeae
Genus: Samanea (Benth.) Merr. in J. Washington Acad. Sci. 6: 46 (1916)
Species: Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr. in J. Washington Acad. Sci. 6: 47 (1916)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Albizia saman (Jacq.) F.Muell. in Select Pl.: 12 (1872)
Calliandra saman (Jacq.) Griseb. in Fl. Brit. W. I.: 225 (1860)
Enterolobium saman (Jacq.) Prain in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 66: 252 (1897)
Feuilleea saman (Jacq.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 189 (1891)
Inga saman (Jacq.) Willd. in Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 4: 1024 (1806)
Mimosa saman Jacq. in Fragm. Bot.: 15 (1801)
Pithecellobium saman (Jacq.) Benth. in London J. Bot. 3: 216 (1844)
Zygia saman (Jacq.) A.Lyons in Pl. Nam., ed. 2: 503 (1907)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Acacia propinqua A.Rich. in R.de la Sagra, Hist. Phys. Cuba, Pl. Vasc.: 466 (1846)
Albizia flavovirens Hoyle in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1933: 173 (1933)
Inga cinerea Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. in Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 4: 1024 (1806)
Inga salutaris Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 6: 304 (1824)
Mimosa pubifera Poir. in Encycl., Suppl. 1: 47 (1810)
Pithecellobium cinereum Benth. in London J. Bot. 3: 216 (1844)
Pithecellobium salutare (Kunth) Benth. in London J. Bot. 3: 216 (1844)
Pithecellobium saman var. acutifolium Benth. in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 15(3): 442 (1876)
PUBLICATIONS
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
Balick, M.J., Nee, M.H. & Atha, D.E. (2000). Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Belize with Common Names an Uses: 1-246. New York Botanic Garden Press, New York.
Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K. & Monterrosa Salomón, J. (2009). Nova silva cusatlantica. Árboles nativos e introduciados de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L. Englera 29-1: 1-438.
Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe. Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2023). Flora of North America North of Mexico 11(1): 1-541. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1979). A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae. Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 15: 41-295.
Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Hammel, B.E., Grayum, M.H., Herrera & C. & Zamora, N. (eds.) (2010). Manual de plantas de Costa Rica volumen V. Dicotiledóneas (Clusiaceae-Gunneraceae). Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 119: 1-970. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Hancock, I.R. & Henderson, C.P. (1988). Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin Dodo Creek Research Station 7: 1-203.
Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., Ortiz, R.D.C., Callejas Posada, R. & Merello, M. (eds.) (2011). Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 1-939. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín.
Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánes, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador: 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
Jørgensen, P.M., Nee, M.H. & Beck., S.G. (eds.) (2013). Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127: 1-1741. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Kumar, S. & Sane, P.V. (2003). Legumes of South Asia. A Checklist: 1-536. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo). Taxonomania 30: 1-307.
Lepschi, B. & Monro, A. (Project Coordinators) (2014). Australian Plant Census (APC) Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria.
Lisowski, S. (2009). Flore (Angiospermes) de la République de Guinée. Scripta Botanica Belgica 41: 1-517.
Lock, J.M. & Ford, C.S. (2004). Legumes of Malesia a Check-List: 1-295. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Lock, J.M. & Heald, J. (1994). Legumes of Indo-China a check-list: 1-164. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Lorence, D.H. & Wagnwe, W.L. (2020). Flora of the Marquesas Islands 2: 413-1135. National Tropical Botanic Garden, Smithsonian, DRPF.
MacKee, H.S. (1994). Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie, ed. 2: 1-164. Museum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris.
Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.
Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.
Sanjappa, M., Pusalkar, P.K. & Mao, A.A. (eds.) (2024). Flora of India 6: 1-556. Botanical Survey of India.
Sarmah, K.K. & Borthakur, S.K. (2009). A checklist of angiospermic plants of Manas national park in Assam, India. Pleione 3: 190-200.
Sikarwar, R.L.S. (2014). Angiosperm diversity assessment of Chitrakootthe legendary place of Vindhyan range, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 38: 563-619.
Standley, P.C. & Steyermark, J.A. (1946). Flora of Guatemala. Fieldiana Botany New Series 24(5): 1-502. Field Museum of Natural History.
Velayos, M. & al. (eds.) (2015). Flora de Guinea Ecuatorial 5: 1-529. Consejo superior de investigaciones científicas, Real jardín botánico, Madrid.
Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R. & Sohmer, S.H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, rev. ed., 1: 1-988. University of Hawai'i Press, Bishop Museum Press.
Welsh, S.L. (1998). Flora Societensis: 1-420. E.P.S. Inc. Utah.
Whistler, W.A. (2022). Flora of Samoa Flowering Plants: 1-930. National Tropical Botanicl Garden. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 10: 1-642. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
Zhu, X.Y., Zhang, R.P. & He, Y.L. (eds.) (2021). An inventory of legume species diversity of Myanmar: 1-297. China Minzu university press.
VERNACULAR NAME
Australia: Rain tree
Bantoanon: Akasya
Bengali: বৃষ্টি গাছ - বিলিতি সিরিস - ভিলাইতি সিরিস Br̥ṣṭi gācha, Biliti siris, Vilaiti siris
Burmese: မိုးသစ်ပင်
Chinese (simplified): 雨树
Chinese (traditional): 雨樹
Dutch: Regenboom
English: Monkey pod tree, Monkeypod, Rain tree, Monkeypod Tree
Fiji: vaivai ni vavalangi, vaivai moce, sirsa
Filipino: Puno ng ulan
Finnish: Sadepuu
French: Arbre de pluie, Samana
German: Regenbaum
Hawaiian: Ōhai
Hindi: वर्षा वृक्ष - गुलाबी सिरिस - विलायती सिरिस Varsha vrksh, Gulabi siris, Vilaiti siris
Indonesian: Trembesi, Ki Hujan, Munggur
Japanese: アメリカネム
Java: Trembesi, Munggur
Kannada: Malemara
Khmer: ដើមឈើភ្លៀង
Korea: 레인트리
Lao: ຕົ້ນຝົນ
Madagascar: Bonara, mbaza, kily vazaha, madiromany, mampihe, mampohehy
Malayalam: Mazhamaram, Urakkamthuungamaram, Urakamthoongimaram
Malaysia: Trembesi
Marathi: Gulabi siris, Vilaiti siris
Nepali: वर्षाको रूख Varṣākō rūkha
New Guinea: marmar
Oria: Chakunda
Pashto: د باران ونې Da baran wany
Portuguese: Chorona
Russian: Альбиция Саман
Samoa: Tamalini, Tamaligi
Sinhala: වැසි ගස Væsi gasa
Slovak: Samanea dáždnikovitá
Spanish: Saman, Cenízaro, cenicero, Samán, Campano, Algarrobillo, Árbol de Lluvia
Sunda: Ki Hujan
Tamil: மழை மரம் - அமைவாகை - தூங்குமூஞ்சி மரம் Maḻai maram, Amaivagai, Thoongumoonji maram
Telugu: Dorisena, Nidraganneru
Thai: ต้นไม้ฝน
Urdu: بارش کا درخت Barsh ka darkht
Vietnam: Cây mưa
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