Miguel Braganza
Goa is also called the ‘Sunaparant’, ‘Goa Dourado’, or ‘Golden Goa’ due to the existence of the Peltophorum ferrugenium that covers the ground with golden flowers.
The Peltophorum ferrugenium (syn Peltophorum pterocarpum) is variously called as the Copper Pod, or Rusty Shield-bearer tree. It is often mistaken for a Mayflower or Gulmohur, Delonix regia, when not in flower. There are two distinct differences: it does not have large sword-like pods and its new shoots are not green. The word ferrugenium means ‘producing iron’ and is a reference to the new brown shoots that look as if they are rusted iron. The one or two-seeded shield-shaped pods are a coppery first and then turn rusty brown and, hence, the names. The trees, and the ground below, are full of golden flowers that are a sight to see till the May.
In 2016, the 18th June Road had 100 trees belonging to 23 different species and almost a half of them (49 to be exact) were Copper Pods that made the footpaths look as if they had been paved in gold. A few of these trees were knocked down by the cyclone Taukte. Other trees just disappeared overnight. Copper Pod and Rain Trees near Dolphin circle in Calangute have disappeared and so have trees in Bardez along the roads leading to the Pernem beachfront.
Trees in Panaji are always a hot topic for discussion though its people, excluding the Rotarians, are rarely to be found planting roadside trees or nurturing them. An extensive tree survey of trees in the city of Panaji was conducted in 2015 and 2016. The survey found a total of 125 different plant species in different areas of Panaji city surveyed along the roads and in gardens/parks. The range of species has been increased but the number of trees has decreased due to ‘development’ of Panaji. The Amaltas and the Copper Pod trees still remind us of the ‘Golden Goa’ this season. They remind us that we need to celebrate what we have left and make an attempt to re-create what we have lost in the name of “development”. Maybe it will motivate us to clean up our rivers, creeks and streams.
