Pterocarpus Jacq.

Features enhance cooling effect: shade trees
 

The cooling effects of shade trees in subtropical regions are most influenced by foliage density, leaf thickness, leaf texture, and leaf color lightness.

 
  "Now, a research team from the Department of Horticulture at National  Taiwan University has published a comprehensive study in HortScience  that offers recommendations for landscape designers and urban planners  in subtropical regions…The researchers analyzed four characteristics of each plant related  to cooling effect, determining that foliage density had the greatest  contribution to cooling, followed by leaf thickness, leaf texture, and  leaf color lightness. Regression analysis also revealed that solar  radiation, wind velocity, and vapor pressure at the site had significant  effects on temperature reduction attributable to shade trees or bamboo. 

"Twelve species in the study provided 0.64 to 2.52ºC lower air  temperature and 3.28 to 8.07ºC lower surface-soil temperature under the  canopies compared with the unshaded open site. When analyzed for 'cooling effect,' Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) and Rose wood (Pterocarpus  indicus) were the determined to be the most effective, while  Golden shower tree (Cassia fitula), Autumn maple (Bischofia  javanica), and Swollen bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa) were  the least effective." (Science Daily 2010)
  Learn more about this functional adaptation.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 5
Specimens with Barcodes: 5
Species With Barcodes: 1

Year Assessed

• Needs updating

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

• 1997
  Not Threatened
  (Walter and Gillett 1998)