Silk Cotton Tree: A Lifeline for South Rajasthan Forests and People

In southern Rajasthan, the extinction of silk cotton trees has had negative consequences for the forests and people of the region.

About the Silk Cotton Tree:

1. Locally known as the Semal tree, the silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba L.) is tall and deciduous, with a depressed base and large conical thorns on its trunk.
2. Found primarily in moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, it occasionally appears in plains from the coast and deciduous belts of the hills up to 1400 meters.
3. The Garasia tribe of Rajasthan believes they are descended from semal trees.
4. Distribution in India: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Significance of the Tree:

1. Multidimensional utility for wild animals, insects and tribal communities.
2. Fire-resistant with cooling properties.
3. Considered a pioneer tree, generating rich biomass and used for wasteland reclamation.
4. Carbon sequestration through shedding of leaves before flowering.
5. Potential bioindicator: Late flowering may indicate hot summer or delayed monsoon.
6. Rock bees nest on its branches, protected from predators by the tree’s spikes.
7. Tribal communities consume the tree’s reddish root as food during monsoons.
8. Opportunities for agroforestry, providing resources like food, fodder, and fuelwood.
9. The Kathodi tribe uses its wood for crafting musical instruments, while the Bhil tribe uses it to make utensils.

What is a Bioindicator?

Bioindicators are living organisms like plants, planktons, animals, and microbes used to evaluate the health of the natural ecosystem in the environment.

​​​​​Must Check: Best IAS Coaching In Delhi