Have you heard of a tree known as "Pride of Burma?" Yes, this is commonly known as Amherstia (Amherstia nobilis). This is a tropical tree belonging to the family Fabaceae, that bears exceptionally beautiful flowers is widely cultivated in the humid tropics. Ever wondered why it is called such name? This tree is native to Burma, known today as Myanmar,
the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia. Its scientific name commemorates Lady Amherst.
This tropical tree's extravagant flowers are hanging from
long inflorescence known as flower stalk that are bright crimson red at the end. Its flowers are made up of 5 petals, 2 are minute while the others have unequal sizes. Petals are also crimson; two medium-sized petals are yellow at the tip and the largest petal is broad and fan-shaped with a wavy upper margin and a yellow triangle of color extending from the lip down into the flower. The said large petal can measure 7.5 centimeters long and over 4 centimeters wide at the end. There are either 9 or 10 stamens, 9 of these are partially fused into a pink sheath; the stamens are of two differing lengths with the longer ones having larger anthers. Amherstia has compound leaves with 6 - 8 large leaflets. They are broadly oblong in shape and are a whitish underneath. Its seedpods or fruits measures from 11 to 20 centimeters long, with a scimitar-shaped. The woody outer case opens to disperse the seeds.
