This impressive tropical tree is Narra, Pterocarpus indicus. It is also known as Angsana, Amboyna, New Guinea Rosewood and, in some collections, Indian Padauk. It belongs to the legume family, Fabaceae, and is native from parts of Southeast Asia through the Philippines, New Guinea and the western Pacific.

Narra can grow into a large shade tree with a broad, spreading crown. Mature trees often develop powerful branches and a heavy trunk, making them especially striking in parks, avenues and large tropical gardens.

The leaves are compound, usually with five to eleven oval or somewhat pointed leaflets arranged alternately or nearly opposite one another along a central stalk. The foliage forms a dense green canopy, although the tree may shed some leaves during a pronounced dry period.

The flowers appear in loose branching clusters among the leaves. They have the familiar pea-flower structure of the legume family and are usually golden yellow or orange-yellow.

Although each flower is fairly small, a heavily flowering tree can produce a brilliant display. The blossoms may open in great numbers over a short period, and fallen petals can form a yellow carpet beneath the crown.

Bees and other insects visit the flowers for nectar and pollen, helping transfer pollen between blossoms.

After flowering, the tree produces one of its most distinctive features: a nearly circular, flattened seed pod. A hard central section containing the seed is surrounded by a broad, thin wing.

Unlike an ordinary bean pod, this fruit does not split open when it matures. Instead, the entire winged pod can be carried or spun away by wind, helping the seed travel beyond the parent tree.

If the bark is cut or damaged, the tree may release a dark red sap or resin sometimes called kino. The genus name Pterocarpus means “winged fruit,” referring to the tree’s unusual disc-shaped pods.

Narra is especially famous for its timber. The heartwood may range from golden brown and reddish brown to deeper red or purple shades. It is strong, durable and capable of taking a beautiful polish.

The wood has long been valued for fine furniture, cabinetry, flooring, musical instruments, decorative veneers and carving. Particularly figured wood, often sold as Amboyna burl, can be exceptionally valuable. Kew describes Narra as one of the most economically important legume timber trees.

That commercial value has also placed pressure on wild populations through excessive and sometimes illegal harvesting. The tree’s importance today therefore includes conservation as well as timber production.

Narra is the national tree of the Philippines, where it is admired for its strength, beauty and cultural importance.

This is a tree with several memorable features: a great spreading crown, clusters of golden flowers, round winged pods and richly colored wood hidden within the trunk.

When presenting it to a group, the best feature to point out—if fruit is present—is the circular pod. It looks almost like a wooden coin surrounded by a papery wing and perfectly illustrates the botanical name “winged fruit.”