Malabar Sea Almond

Terminalia catappa is a large tropical tree in the leadwood tree family, Combretaceae, native to Asia, Australia, the Pacific, Madagascar and Seychelles. Common names in English include country almond, Indian almond, Malabar almond, sea almond, tropical almond, beach almond and false kamani.

They can be seen lining the beaches of the tropical world with their distinctive horizontal branches creating an umbrella-like canopy that, along with its large leaves gives precious shade from the sun.

These trees are what's known as 'dry-season deciduous'. Before falling, the leaves turn a pinkish-reddish or yellow-brown colour. And the leaves are used for a wide range of medicinal and therapeutic purposes in the various tropical regions where the trees are endemic.