Kalinga / Indian Elm
Pongamia pinnata
Also known as Pongam Oil Tree, Indian Beech Wood Tree
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- April-December
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Pongamia pinnata
- Genus
- Pongamia
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, also planted as avenue tree
- Habitat type
- Forest, Cultivated
- Native to
- Southern and Eastern Asia, Australia
- Distribution
- Indo-Himalayas, Sri lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Northern Australia, Polynesia, Mascarene Islands, Micronesia
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala
- Flowering & fruiting
- April-December
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (LC)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Recorded for Kalinga.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- कलिंग Kalinga, करंज Karanj, नक्तमाल Naktmal
- Nepali
- करेंगी Karengi, कद्जा Kadzaa, करन्ज Karanj
- Bengali
- করঞ্জ Karanja
- Tamil
- ஆசிருந்தம் Aciruntam, ஆகிரந்தம் Akirantam, ஆலம் Alam, புங்கை
- Telugu
- కాడెపుతీగ Kaadeputhige, కానుగ చెట్టు Kaanuga Chettu, కగ్గెర Kaggera
- Kannada
- ಹೊಂಗೆ ಮರ Honge Mara, ಹುಲಿಗಿಲಿ ಮರ Huligili Mara, ಕರಂಜ Karanja, ಹೊಂಗೆ ಮರ
- Malayalam
- പൊങ്ങം Pongam, പുങ്ങു Pungu
- Marathi
- करंज Karanj, करंज
- Gujarati
- કરંજ, કણજી
Kalinga in India
Karanj is a tough, glossy-leaved shade and avenue tree native to the region — कलिंग Kalinga (Hindi), ஆசிருந்தம் Aciruntam (Tamil), కాడెపుతీగ Kaadeputhige (Telugu), ಹೊಂಗೆ ಮರ Honge Mara (Kannada), പൊങ്ങം Pongam (Malayalam), करंज Karanj (Marathi). Pongamia pinnata is recorded across Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, common along roads, canals and coasts because it tolerates poor and saline soils.
Uses
The oil-rich seeds (pongam/karanj oil) are a long-standing source of lamp oil and are now studied for biodiesel, and the oil and bark have attributed uses in traditional medicine. As a nitrogen-fixing legume it is also planted to improve soil and for shade.
How to Identify Kalinga
A medium tree with a dense, shiny canopy of pinnate leaves whose leaflets are smooth and pointed. Sprays of pinkish-white pea-like flowers give way to flat, woody, one-seeded pods that do not split open. The fresh glossy flush is noticeably bright green.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Indian Elm called in different Indian languages?
- कलिंग Kalinga (Hindi); ஆசிருந்தம் Aciruntam (Tamil); కాడెపుతీగ Kaadeputhige (Telugu); ಹೊಂಗೆ ಮರ Honge Mara (Kannada); പൊങ്ങം Pongam (Malayalam); करंज Karanj (Marathi); করঞ্জ Karanja (Bengali); કરંજ (Gujarati).
- What is karanj oil used for?
- Pressed from the seeds, karanj (pongam) oil has traditionally been used for lamps and in folk remedies, and is now investigated as a biodiesel feedstock.
- Why is Pongamia planted along roads?
- It casts dense shade, fixes nitrogen to improve soil, and tolerates poor, dry and saline conditions, which makes it a reliable avenue and wasteland tree.
Fabaceae
Legume/Bean family
Kalinga belongs to the Fabaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Fabaceae
View all Fabaceae →Sources: GBIF — Pongamia pinnata (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Pongamia pinnata (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Pongamia pinnata (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)