Caesalpinia digyna Rottler

A prickly climber or scandent shrub, 2-5 m tall. Pinnae in 8-13 pairs, leaflets in 6-12 pairs, oblong-elliptic, 5-13 mm x 2.5-5 mm, subsessile. Flowers in long racemes, fairly large, with petals 8-10 mm long, yellow. Pods oblong-elliptic, 3-6 cm x 1.5-2 cm, constricted between the seeds (1-)2-3(-4)-seeded.

C. digyna is found in thickets, light forests and forest borders, in Indo-China up to 1200 m. In Indonesia C. digyna occurs in drier areas up to 200 m.

Plants are propagated by seed. The seeds of C. digyna plant are very hard and must be scarified before sowing.

During the first two years, watering is necessary in the dry season. Mature trees require no care, and forage crops can be planted between trees.

Tannin or dyestuff: The pods of C. digyna and C. coriacaria are very rich in tannin, and is used in tanning industry. For tanning leather, the tan-stuff from the pods is generally used as a blend, mixed with other tanning materials. The pods can also serve to prepare a blackish or blueish dye and a black ink, and are sometimes employed as a mordanting agent. The wood is reported to contain a red dye. Medicine: C. digyna is reported to treat tuberculosis and diabetes. Fodder: The seeds of C. digyna can serve as cattle feed. Lipids: Teri-pod contain an oil which can be used in lamps.