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KATHURUMURUNGA OR HUMMINGBIRD TREE IN
AUSTRALIA
It is very hard to grow in Melbourne
climate especially during winter period.
The plant’s early rapid growth and erect
habit usually enables to access sunlight
by overtopping neighbouring plants.
Roots are heavily modulated with
large nodules. During waterlogging
and floods, the plant develops floating
roots and protective spongy tissues.
Plant is intolerant of high winds that
can break stems and branches. Lifespan
of kathurumurunga is about 20 years.
Plant can be propagated by seeds or
plant cuttings. Seed is immediately
germinable without requirements for
scarification and deteriorates rapidly in
viability.
Uses
Red Kathurumurunga plant – Mackay – Queensland
Kathurumurunga mallum and sambol
are favourites among many Sri Lankan
over the years. Bundles of this leafy
vegetable are sold in markets and
supermarkets in Sri Lanka. I would like
to explore some information about this
plant as it has been present in Australian
landscape especially in tropical parts
(Queensland, Northern Territory and
Western Australia) of the country.
Botanical
name:
GRANDIFLORA
SESBANIA
Family: Fabaceae
Common names: Kathurumurunga
(Sinhalese), agathi (Tamil), Australian
corkwood tree, hummingbird tree or
white dragon tree (English).
Kathurumurunga is another one of
Mother Nature’s artful creation that
is ornamental and versatile originated
in Asia especially India, Malaysia,
Indonesia and the Philippines. Its native
range extends to Burma and Australia.
According to the World Agro Forestry
Centre, the precise origin is unknown. It
has been widely distributed in Southern
Florida and West Indies from Southern
Mexico through most countries of
Central America to South America and
some parts of Africa. The plant widely
cultivated as ornamental or vegetable in
tropical Asia. But it is not a commercial
crop, and the flowers do not sit in wicker
baskets awaiting sale in the major
produce markets. Instead, they manage
a humble existence growing in the banks
near major crops and gardens.
are yellowish green and the flowers
are similar to parrots beak. There are
red and white coloured species as
kathurymurunga. You can grow this
species as a beautiful garden ornamental
in your garden.
Kathurumurunga is an upright, fast
growing soft wooded open branching
evergreen legume tree grows 3-15
meters tall. The stem is straight and
cylindrical, diameter up to cm. The wood
is white and soft. The leaves, up to 30
cm long, are pinnately compound with
20-50 oblong leaflets, 1-4 cm long and
0.5 – 1.5 cm wide. It has exceptionally
pea flowers which range in colour from
white, cream, pink and red. The flowers
are pollinated by birds. It is able to
produce ripe pods by 9 months after
planting. Seed pods are 50 60 cm long,
narrow and hang vertically. Pods are
initially green and turn dark brown to
black when matured. They contain 1550 dark brown seeds, 5 mm long and
2.5 – 3 mm broad. Plant can tolerate a
wide range of soils including alkaline,
poorly drained, saline or low fertility.
It is well adapted to heavy clay soils.
Kathurumurunga can grow up to 800
m above sea level but occasionally to
1000 m environments with mean annual
temperatures of 22-30 Celsius. This
plant is frost sensitive and intolerant of
extended periods of cool temperatures.
The tender leaves, green fruit and
flowers are eaten alone as a vegetable
or mixed into curries, mallum or salad.
Flowers can be dipped in batter and fried
in butter. The flowers are also bitter and
astringent, but the white are less than the
red. It is possible to reduce the bitterness
by removing the stamen (mal renu). It is
best to choose the flowers that have not
yet bloomed as these will be softer and
less leathery.
All parts (leaves, flowers, bark and
roots) of the Kathurumurunga plant
have been used for folk medicine in
India and Sri Lanka. Its health benefits
are exhaustive and the plant features
in a number of traditional remedies
dating back thousands of years. In
Ayurveda, plant leaves treat fever, sinus
and respiratory problems. It acts as a
coolant, purgative and worm killer. It
has the potential to treat toxicoses and
itching. Flowers are used to treat night
blindness, headaches, catarrh, cough
and fevers.
The plant has been used as a fodder tree
throughout Indonesia especially during
dry season feeding of cattle and goats.
It is commonly grown on paddy field
bunds and around gardens or cropping
fields for its nitrogen contribution to the
soil. Cutting management has a very
important influence on the productivity
of kathurumurunga. It cannot survive
repeated cutting. In Indonesia, farmers
have devised a system where only
the side branches of tree are cut for
fodder leaving the main growing stem
untouched.
There is another plant species very
similar appearance to kathurumurunga
plant which is available in plant
nurseries especially in Melbourne. That
species is Kaka Beak (CLIANTHUS
MAXIMUS), a New Zealnd native plant
but not kathurumurunga.
This plant is a small bush, not growing
straight as kathurumurunga. Leaves
18
Kathurumurunga plant has several
environmental benefits as well. As a
fast growing Nitrogen fixing legume, it
is used for the reforestation of eroded
areas and to improve soil fertility. It is
often planted to make fence lines or as
shade tree, windbreak and support for
other crops.
NUTRITIONAL
VALUE
OF
KATHURUMURUNGA FLOWERS
(Per 100 g)
Energy
- 113 kJ (27 kcal)
Carbohydrates
- 6.73 g
Fat
- 0.04 g
Protein
- 1.28 g
Thiamine (B1)
- 0.083 mg
Riboflavin (B2) - 0.081 mg
Niacin (B3)
- 0.43 mg
Folate (B9)
- 102 micro g
Vitamin C
- 73 mg
Calcium
- 19 mg
Iron
- 0.84 mg
Magnesium
- 12 mg
Phosphorus
- 30 mg
Potassium
- 184 mg
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
Leaves (100g) contain the following
nutritive values.
Energy
- 390 kJ (93 kcal)
Carbohydrates
- 12 g
Fat
-1g
Protein
-8g
Fibre
-2g
Moisture
- 73 g
Calcium
- 1130 mg
Phosphorous
- 80 mg
Iron
- 4 mg
It seems that leaves are an excellent
source of calcium and iron. The
abundance of these nutrients is a reason
for its reputation as a bone strengthener.
Pictures and Text by
Dr. Lalith Gunasekera
Kaka Beak Flowers: red
NOVEMBER 2015 PAHANA - LIGHT & LIFE
Cream or white flowers
Invasive Plants Specialist
MACKAY - QUEENSLAND