Inga umbellifera
(Vahl) Steud. ex DC.
Umbellate inga
(c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jared Shorma
(c) Leonardo Álvarez-Alcázar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit - aril, Pod pulp
Fruit - raw. The white pulp surrounding the seeds has a sweet flavour. The seedpods are 6 - 12cm long and up to 2.5cm wide.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant.
Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,
How to Identify
A tropical tree in the Fabaceae family that produces long pods containing edible fruit pulp. Seeds germinate easily in 1-2 weeks when provided with moisture and shade.
How to Grow
Plants grow easily from fresh seeds. Seeds germinate in 1-2 weeks given moisture and shade.
Other Uses
The wood of Inga species is generally attractive, but it has a coarse texture, is susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites and is not durable in the soil. The wood is used for fuel.
Names & Synonyms
Aam, Ahuatan, Awatan, Capamohue, Guamita, Huama, Jeayo'co, Kapamowe, Noywawe, Pilinga, Quinlli pacai, Shimbillo hoja menuda, Towikawe, Warakosa
References (7)
- Duke, J. A., Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary (As Inga myriantha)
- Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 327
- Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 448
- Kew Plants of the World On line
- Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 116
- Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
- Torre, de la, L., et al, 2008, Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador. Herbario QCA. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. p 348
