Sweet Inga (Pithecellobium dulce) – 20 Seeds

Classifications

Family: Fabaceae

Kingdom: Plantae

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Fabales

Genus: Pithecellobium Mart

Species: Pithecellobium dulce

Common Names

Botanical Name: Pithecellobium dulce

English Name : Manila Tamarind / Monkey Pod

Tamil Name: கொடுக்காப்புளி / கொடிக்காய் kodukkappuli or kodikkai

Hindi Name: जंगल जलेबी / jungle jalebi

Malayalam Name: കോട്ടുക്കപ്പുലി / kēāṭṭukkappuli

Telugu Name: సీమ చింత / seema chinta

Kannada Name: Seeme Hunse,Seeme Hunase

Marathi Name: Vilayatichinch-विलायती चिंच

The Pithecellobium dulce is a tree which grows about a height of 10 to 15m, the trunks are spiny and leaves are bipinnate.

If you look at pinna there will be a single pair of ovate-oblong leaflets which are 2 to 4 cm long.

The flowers are grennish and reaches about 12cm in length.

Actually flowers produces a pod which turns pink and opens to expose the seed( either a pink or white, edible pulp).

Within the pulp there are black shiny seeds which are circular and flat.

As a Traditional Medicine

• The Ground seeds are used to treat and cure ulcers.
• The pulp from the fruits is a great astringent which can be used for hemostatic, and hemoptysis.
• Some of the non-specified parts of the plant can be used an extract, it is used against chronic diseases, diarrhea, tuberclosis.
• The leaves are used in a poultice with alcohol to treat bile also it can help to prevent abortions.
• The seed pods are completely filled with a sweet pulp which can be eaten raw or prepared as a beverage, this is great for blood circulation
• The seed juice can be gently inhaled into the nostrils against chest congestion and pulverized seeds are ingested for internal ulcers
• Seeds and leaves are rich in tannin, also the flesh around seeds can be eaten raw,cooked, or made into drinks.
• Edible oil can be obtained from the seeds, which can also be used in making soap.

Tree Characteristics:

Plant type: small to medium-sized thorny

Life type: Dry tropical and sub-tropical

Soil: Shallow, rocky, and skeletal soils

Height: 15 to 20 m

Width: 30-50 cm

Leaf shape: oblong or elliptic

Leaflet length: 25 to 56 mm

Leaflet width: 9 to 32 mm

Leaf color: olive green

Flowering season: March-April

Flowers arrangement: Grouped in small

Sub-spherical head size: 7-12 mm

Flowers per head: 20-30 flowers

Fruit shape: spiral curve into 1-2 circles

Fruit color: Green tinger red

Flesh color: pinkinsh red and snow white

Taste: sweet

Fruiting season: June