Mesua ferrea
Mesua ferrea, the Sri Lankan ironwood, Indian rose chestnut, or cobra's saffron, is a species in the family Calophyllaceae. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental due to its graceful shape, grayish-green foliage with a beautiful pink to red flush of drooping young leaves, and large, fragrant white flowers. It is native to wet, tropical parts of Sri Lanka, South India.
Ceylon ironwood | |
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Ceylon ironwood in Thelwatta, South-East Sri Lanka. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Calophyllaceae |
Genus: | Mesua |
Species: | M. ferrea
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Binomial name | |
Mesua ferrea | |
Synonyms | |
Mesua coromandelina Wight |