Xylia xylocarpa, irul in Tamil and Malayalam, is a hard-timbered legume tree of dry forests across peninsular India and Southeast Asia. In Myanmar it is pyinkado, the Burma ironwood. Its timber went into railway sleepers, bridges and heavy construction, and its woody pods split open with a snap.
- Botanical name
- Xylia xylocarpa (Roxb.) Taub.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Tamil
- Irul
- Hindi
- Jamba
- Parts used
- Timber
- Habit
- Hard dry-forest pea; rosewood is Dalbergia
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Irul
The leaves are twice-pinnate, with a few large, oval leaflets, which is unusual among the fine-leaved acacia relatives.
The bark is reddish-grey and flakes away in irregular patches, leaving pale scars, a useful mark on a leafless tree in the dry season.
Flowers are small, pale yellow and fragrant, packed into round, fluffy balls that appear with the new leaves in the hot season.
The pods are flat, woody and sickle-shaped, up to fifteen centimetres long. When dry they twist and split explosively, scattering hard, shiny brown seeds.
Indian rosewood, Dalbergia latifolia, has single, oval-leafleted pinnate leaves and dark purple heartwood.
Traditional use of Irul
Timber
Irul is one of India’s classic heavy timbers, prized for strength and resistance to termites, and used for sleepers, piles, posts and carts.
Indian and Burmese forestry
Modern notes on Irul
Wood scientists rate it among the densest commercial timbers of South and Southeast Asia. Its durability in contact with the ground made it a standard sleeper wood.
In the wild it regenerates well from coppice and seed, which has helped it survive heavy past cutting better than many evergreen timbers.
Irul safety
There is no established food or medicinal use in India. Do not eat the seeds.
Ecology and sourcing
It grows in dry and moist deciduous forest from the Western and Eastern Ghats to Myanmar, Thailand and Indochina, often with teak.
The exploding pods throw seeds several metres from the parent tree.
It is deciduous: it drops its leaves in the dry season and flushes soft new leaves together with its flower balls just before the monsoon.
Related plants
Also in Fabaceae
Questions about Irul
Is Irul rosewood?
No. Indian rosewood is Dalbergia latifolia.
What older names does Xylia xylocarpa go by?
Xylia dolabriformis.
Why is Irul called ironwood?
The timber is extremely heavy, hard and durable.
Are the seeds of Irul eaten?
Roasted seeds are reported as a minor food in parts of its range, but there is little safety information, so they are best avoided.
Sources
- Xylia xylocarpa (Roxb.) Taub. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q1939480 (Xylia xylocarpa)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.