Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Unani
Flame of the forest (Butea monosperma), of the Fabaceae family. Medium crooked deciduous tree with trifoliate leathery leaves and dense racemes of orange-red flowers; native range: dry plains and open forest throughout the Indian subcontinent. Globally recognized as palasha · kimshuka in Sanskrit, palas / dhak / tesu in Hindi, palas in Arabic, and bastard teak, Bengal kino, parrot tree in English. The part used is seed, flower, gum (kino) and bark. Flat kidney-shaped seeds, bitter and acrid; a ruby astringent gum that dries hard and puckers the tongue; brilliant orange papery flowers.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
FLAME OF THE FOREST
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Flame of the forest
- Scientific name
- Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub.
- Family
- Fabaceae
Form
- Part used
- seed, flower, gum (kino) and bark
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- pungent (katu) · bitter (tikta) · astringent (kashaya)
- Unani
- astringent · bitter
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Unani
- intestines · stomach · uterus
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- krimighna (anthelmintic, the seed), sangrahi (astringent, the gum), sothahara, kaphavatahara, raktastambhana
- Unani
- daf-e-deedan (anthelmintic), qabiz (astringent), mujaffif (desiccant), habis-ud-dam (styptic)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- high pitta and dryness; the seed not in pregnancy
- Toxicity
- the seed in excess is acrid and irritant to the stomach
This is the card. Sign in for the full four-tradition entry — the aligned TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani reading, actions, dosing and cautions.