Ignatius bean
Strychnos ignatii

Family: Loganiaceae

What it is like

A creeper. The stems are 20 m long. The branches are greyish-brown. They have tendrils. The leaves are narrowly oval and 6-17 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. They taper to the tip. The flowers are in groups of 10-20 flowers in the axils of leaves. The flowers have 5 parts and have a scent. The fruit are round berries, yellow when ripe. They are 4-10 cm across. They have a hard woody case. There are 1-15 seeds. These are oval and flat. They are 2-2.5 cm long by 1.5-1.8 cm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows between 400-800 m above sea level. It can grow up to 1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Caution: The seeds are poisonous.

Edible parts

Fruit flesh ?, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ignatia amara L.f.; Ignatiana philippinica Lour.; Strychnos hainanensis Merr. & Chun; Strychnos ovalifolia Wall. ex G. Don;