Pithecellobium dulce

Last updated

Pithecellobium dulce
Tree I IMG 2896.jpg
In Kolkata, West Bengal (India)
Pithecellobium dulce beans.JPG
Ripe Pithecellobium dulce bean
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Clade: Mimosoid clade
Genus: Pithecellobium
Species:
P. dulce
Binomial name
Pithecellobium dulce

Pithecellobium dulce, commonly known as Manila tamarind, Madras thorn, monkeypod tree or camachile, [4] [5] is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the Pacific Coast and adjacent highlands of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. [3] It is also sometimes known as monkeypod, but that name is also used for several other plants, including Samanea saman . [6] It is an introduced species and extensively naturalized in the Caribbean and Florida, as well as the Philippines and Guam via the Manila galleons. It has also been introduced to Cambodia, Thailand and South Asia, [7] [8] It is considered an invasive species in Hawaii.

Contents

Description

Pithecellobium dulce is a tree that reaches a height of about 10 to 15 m (33 to 49 ft). Its trunk is spiny and up to nine meters in girth (9.4 feet thick DBH) and its leaves are bipinnate. Each pinna has a single pair of ovate-oblong leaflets that are about 2 to 4 cm (0.79 to 1.57 in) long. The flowers are greenish-white, fragrant, sessile and reach about 12 cm (4.7 in) in length, though appear shorter due to coiling. The flowers produce a pod, which turns pink when ripe and opens to expose the seed arils; a pink or white, edible pulp. The pulp contains black shiny seeds that are circular and flat. Pollen is a polyad of many pollen grains stitched together.

Pollen of Pithecellobium dulce Madras-thorn3.jpg
Pollen of Pithecellobium dulce

The seed is dispersed via birds that feed on the sweet pulp. The tree is drought resistant and can survive in dry lands from sea level to an elevation of 1,500 m (4,900 ft), making it suitable for cultivation as a street tree.

Vernacular names

Pithecellobium dulce in Swargate, Pune, India Pithecellobium dulce in Swargate, Pune .jpg
Pithecellobium dulce in Swargate, Pune, India

The English names "Manila tamarind" and "Madras thorn" are both misleading since it is neither related to the tamarind nor native to Manila (though it was introduced early to the Philippines) or Madras. Other English names include blackbead, sweet Inga, and monkeypod. [3]

Depending on the region of its occurrence, Pithecellobium dulce is known by different names. In its native Mexico, the tree is known as huamuche, guamuche, huamúchil, guamúchil, or cuamúchil, deriving from its Nahuatl name cuauhmochitl. The Nahuatl derivations are also preserved in its names in the Philippines, where it was first introduced into Asia via the Manila galleons. It is known as kamachile in Tagalog (from where the English name "camachile" is derived), kamunsil in Hiligaynon, and damortis or kamantiris in Ilokano. [9]

In the wider region of Latin America, it is also called pinzán, or guamá americano (Puerto Rico). In Colombia it is known as chiminango and payandé. [10] It is also known as ʻopiuma in (Hawaiian). [9]

In South Asia and the rest of Southeast Asia, it is known by many names, most of which literally translate to "foreign tamarind". These include: makham thet in Thai; plaeh umpel tek in Khmer; kona puliyangai in the Kongu region and kodukkappuli in other regions of Tamil Nadu; sīma cintakāya or sīma tummakāya in Telugu; dora hunase or sīme hunase in Kannada; bakhai ambli or goras amali ,katra in Gujarati; vilayati cinc or cinc bilai or cheese bilai in Marathi; jungle jalebi in Hindi; [11] sīma kaiyan in Odia; achi gidamiri in Sindhi; and jilapi in Bengali. In Pakistan, it is also known as "jungle jalebi", after the resemblance of its fruits to the jalebi.

Uses

As food

The seed pods contain a sweet and sour pulp which is eaten raw in Mexico, the Philippines, [12] Pakistan, Qatar and India [13] as an accompaniment to various meat dishes and used as a base for drinks with sugar and water ('agua de guamúchil').

The seeds are said to be eaten (locally?) in the 'Revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon' (1980), edited by M.D. Dassanayake (this information is not in the original 'Flora of Ceylon' of 1894). [7] [13]

A number of studies since the 1980s have investigated the composition and possible uses of the seeds; it has been demonstrated that the seeds can be processed to extract a greenish oil, which when refined and analysed consists of potentially edible fatty acids (the precise composition varies depending on the study, but all agree oleic acid and palmitic acid are common, which is to be expected). [13] [14] Oils amount to 10 [13] -17% [14] of the weight of the seeds. The seeds also contain 30 [13] -37.5 [14] -67.11% [8] protein, which researchers suggest might in the future be used as animal feed. [8] [13]

As traditional medicine

The bark is used as an astringent [15] for dysentery in India.[ citation needed ]

It is said to have been used as an antipyretic in India (information originally from 1933), [13] [ citation needed ] used for eye inflammation,[ citation needed ] although an anecdote from Sri Lanka claims the bark contains a substance that causes eye infections and swelling of the eyelids. [13]

The Huastec people of northern Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in Mexico used different parts of the tree to treat gum ailments, toothache and cancer. [13] [15] [16]

The leaves are said to be used in a poultice with alcohol to treat bile, [15] as well as being used to prevent abortions/miscarriage, [15] although the leaves are also said to be used to cause abortions. [8] [ medical citation needed ]

The pulp from the fruits is said to be astringent and hemostatic, and used for hemoptysis. [15] [ medical citation needed ]

The ground seed is sometimes traditionally used to clean ulcers. [15]

Non-specified parts of the plant are said to be used extract is also used against hemorrhages, chronic diarrhea, and tuberculosis. [15] [ medical citation needed ]

Ecology

Pithecellobium dulce is a host plant for the caterpillars of the Common nawab ( Polyura athamas ), three-spot grass yellow ( Eurema blanda ), Bright babul blue ( Azanus ubaldus ) and several moths. [17]

Synonyms

Pithecellobium dulce, Heritage Tree, Madras Thorn, Fort Canning, Singapore Pithecellobium dulce, Fort Canning.jpg
Pithecellobium dulce, Heritage Tree, Madras Thorn, Fort Canning, Singapore

Pithecellobium dulce is known under numerous junior synonyms: [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Mimosa</i> Genus of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae

Mimosa is a genus of about 600 species of herbs and shrubs, in the mimosoid clade of the legume family Fabaceae. Species are native to the Americas, from North Dakota to northern Argentina, and to eastern Africa as well as the Indian subcontinent and Indochina. The generic name is derived from the Greek word μῖμος (mimos), 'actor' or 'mime', and the feminine suffix -osa, 'resembling', suggesting its 'sensitive leaves' which seem to 'mimic conscious life'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimosoideae</span> Subfamily of legumes

The Mimosoideae are a traditional subfamily of trees, herbs, lianas, and shrubs in the pea family (Fabaceae) that mostly grow in tropical and subtropical climates. They are typically characterized by having radially symmetric flowers, with petals that are twice divided (valvate) in bud and with numerous showy, prominent stamens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamarind</span> Leguminous tree bearing edible fruit

Tamarind is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae.

<i>Neltuma juliflora</i> Species of legume

Neltuma juliflora , formerly Prosopis juliflora, is a shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae, a kind of mesquite. It is native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. It has become established as an invasive weed in Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere. It is a contributing factor to continuing transmission of malaria, especially during dry periods when sugar sources from native plants are largely unavailable to mosquitoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropical fruit</span> Fruits that typically grow in warm tropical climates

There are many fruits that typically grow in warm tropical climates or equatorial areas.

<i>Sapindus</i> Genus of flowering plants in the lychee family Sapindaceae

Sapindus is a genus of about thirteen species of shrubs and small trees in the lychee family, Sapindaceae and tribe Sapindeae. It is native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. The genus includes both deciduous and evergreen species. Members of the genus are commonly known as soapberries or soapnuts because the fruit pulp is used to make soap. The generic name is derived from the Latin words sapo, meaning "soap", and indicus, meaning "of India".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indole-3-butyric acid</span> Chemical compound

Indole-3-butyric acid (1H-indole-3-butanoic acid, IBA) is a white to light-yellow crystalline solid, with the molecular formula C12H13NO2. It melts at 125°C in atmospheric pressure and decomposes before boiling. IBA is a plant hormone in the auxin family and is an ingredient in many commercial horticultural plant rooting products.

<i>Samanea saman</i> Species of legume

Samanea saman is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, now in the Mimosoid clade and is native to Central and South America. It is often placed in the genus Samanea, which by yet other authors is subsumed in Albizia entirely.

<i>Inga</i> Genus of legumes

Inga is a genus of small tropical, tough-leaved, nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs, subfamily Mimosoideae. Inga's leaves are pinnate, and flowers are generally white. Many of the hundreds of species are used ornamentally.

<i>Albizia lebbeck</i> Species of legume

Albizia lebbeck is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. It is widely cultivated and naturalised in other tropical and subtropical regions, including Australia. Common names in English include siris, Indian siris, East Indian walnut, Broome raintree, lebbeck, lebbek tree, frywood, koko and woman's tongue tree. The latter name is a play on the sound the seeds make as they rattle inside the pods. Siris is also a common name of the genus Albizia.

<i>Pithecellobium</i> Genus of legumes

Pithecellobium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It includes approximately 23 species from the tropical Americas, ranging from Mexico to Peru and northern Brazil, including the Caribbean Islands and Florida.

<i>Inga edulis</i> Species of tree

Inga edulis, known as ice-cream bean, ice-cream-bean, joaquiniquil, cuaniquilguama or guaba, is a fruit native to South America. It is in the mimosoid tribe of the legume family Fabaceae. It is widely grown, especially by Indigenous Amazonians, for shade, food, timber, medicine, and production of the alcoholic beverage cachiri. It is popular in Peru, Ecuador, Pernambuco-Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana and Colombia. The taxonomic name Inga is derived from its name with the Tupí people of South America (ingá) while the species name edulis is Latin for "edible". The common name "ice-cream bean" alludes to the sweet flavor and smooth texture of the pulp.

<i>Garcinia dulcis</i> Species of tree

Garcinia dulcis is a tropical fruit tree native to the Philippines, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Queensland. It was domesticated early and spread inland into mainland Asia. It is commonly known as mundu or munu in Indonesia and Malaysia, baniti or taklang-anak in the Philippines, and maphuut or ma phut in Thailand. In English, it is sometimes known as yellow mangosteen, although that name is used for several other species as well.

<i>Senegalia</i> Genus of plants in the Fabaceae family, almost worldwide

Senegalia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the Mimosoid clade. Until 2005, its species were considered members of Acacia. The genus was considered polyphyletic and required further division, with the genera Parasenegalia and Pseudosenegalia accepted soon after.

<i>Dolichandra unguis-cati</i> Species of flowering plant

Dolichandra unguis-cati, commonly known as cat's claw creeper, funnel creeper, or cat's claw trumpet, is a rapidly growing climbing vine belonging to the family Bignoniaceae. It affects all plant layers of the forest ecosystem spreading rapidly both vertically and horizontally.

<i>Clausena anisata</i> Species of flowering plant

Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook.f. ex Benth. is a deciduous shrub or small tree, belonging to the Rutaceae or Citrus family, and widespread in the Afrotropical realm or Sub-Saharan Africa, but absent from the drier regions. It is also found in tropical and South-East Asia, growing in India and Sri Lanka and extending as far as Queensland in north-eastern Australia and some Pacific islands. It is cultivated in Malaysia and Indonesia. As with other plants useful to mankind its large range of medicinal properties has led to a global distribution and its growth wherever the climate is suitable. It grows in higher-rainfall regions in savanna, thickets, riverine forest, disturbed areas and secondary forest, up to an altitude of 3000 m. The leaves, which are foetid when bruised, give rise to the common name 'Horsewood' or the more descriptive Afrikaans common name 'Perdepis', meaning 'horse urine'.

Inga oerstediana is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. It was described by English botanist George Bentham. It can be found in Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago.

References

  1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI); IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Pithecellobium dulce". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T130519803A149057978. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T130519803A149057978.en . Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  2. "Pithecellobium dulce Guama Americano". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
  3. 1 2 3 "Pithecellobium dulce". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  4. Hiwale, Shrikant (2015). "Non Traditional Crops: Manila Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.)". Sustainable Horticulture in Semiarid Dry Lands. pp. 273–277. doi:10.1007/978-81-322-2244-6_20. ISBN   978-81-322-2243-9.
  5. "Camachile". The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. NRCS. "Pithecellobium dulce". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 Trimen, Henry (1894). Flora of Ceylon. Vol. 2. London: Dulau & Co. pp. 131–132. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.10864.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Khanzada, Samina Kabir; Kabir, Amina; Shaikh, Wazir; Ali, Syed Abid (April 2013). "Phytochemical studies on Pithecellobium dulce Benth. A medicinal plant of Sindh, Pakistan". Pakistan Journal of Botany. 45 (2): 557–561. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  9. 1 2 Grandtner, Miroslav M. (2005). Elsevier's Dictionary of Trees: With Names in Latin, English, French, Spanish and Other Languages. Vol. 1. Elsevier. pp. 670–671. ISBN   978-0-444-51784-5.
  10. "Guía de Reforestación". elsemillero.net. Archived from the original on 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  11. Subodh Kumar Maiti (2012). Ecorestoration of the Coalmine Degraded Lands. Springer. p. 144. ISBN   9788132208518.
  12. "Camachile / Guamachil /Manila Tamarind". Market Manila. 14 May 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Parrotta, John A. (January 1991). Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. Guamuchil, Madras thorn. Leguminosae (Mimosoideae.) Legume family (PDF) (Report). New Orleans, LA: USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, Institute of Tropical Forestry. SO-ITF-SM-40. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 "PlantFAdb Pithecellobium dulce - Monkeypod". plantfadb.org. Max Rubner-Institute & Michigan State University. 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity: Pithecellobium Dulce: http://www.conabio.gob.mx/conocimiento/info_especies/arboles/doctos/45-legum38m.pdf
  16. Alcorn, Janis B. (1984). Huastec Mayan Ethnobotany. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN   978-0292715431.
  17. "Red-bordered Pixie Melanis pixe (Boisduval, 1836)". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Archived from the original on 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  18. International Legume Database & Information Service (ILDIS) (2005): Pithecellobium dulce. Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2018.