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Leonard Woolf's Tamarind Tree (Google Street View) |
Leonard Woolf's Tamarind Tree, also known as Leonard Woolf's Siyambala Tree (Sinhala: ලෙනාඩ් වුල්ෆ් ගේ සියඹලා ගස), situated in Meegahajandura village in Hambantota District is believed to be one of the Historic and Ancient Trees in Sri Lanka. The tree is located on the wayside of Kumaragama-Mahagalwawa-Meegahajandura road near the Meegahajandura Ayurvedic Hospital.
History
It is a Tamarind tree (scientific name: Tamarindus indica), a leguminous tree bearing edible fruits. According to the information board set up by the Central Environment Authority, this tree is historically important as it is related to Leonard Woolf (1880-1969), a British political theorist, author, publisher and civil servant. He moved to Sri Lanka in 1904 and served as an assistant government agent in the Southern Province administering the District of Hambantota from 1908 to 1911. It is said that, under this tree, Woolf listened to minor complaints and solved disputes.
