Inga vera subsp. affinis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 5-10 m high. The trunk is 20-30 cm across. The leaves are compound and have leaflets along the stalk. There are 4-5 pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are hairy along the veins. The leaves ae lighter underneath. They are 4-14 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The fruit is an angled pod.

Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in Brazil in the rainforest near the Atlantic.

Countries/locations it is found in

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South America, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The fleshy layer around the seeds is eaten fresh.

It is not a popular fruit.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The ripe fruit are gathered and the pods opened to release the seeds. Seeds will only store about 15 days. Fresh seed should be planted. They germinate in 3-5 days. Seedlings can be transplanted into the field in 3-4 months.

Plants grow quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Anga, Inga-banana, Inga-de-quatro-quinas, Inga-do-brejo, Ingazeiro, Inga

Synonyms

Inga uruguensis Hook & Arn.; Inga affinis DC.; Inga velloziana Mart.; Inga arrabidae Steud.; Inga acutifolia Benth.; Inga meissneriana Miq.; Inga soluta Pittier; Inga arinensis Hoehne; Inga spuria var. sordida Benth.; Inga uruguensis var. parvifolia Chodat & Hassl.; Mimosa umbellata Vell.; Feuilleea meissneriana (Miq.) Juntze; Feuilleea affinis (DC.) Kuntze; Feuilleea uruguensis (Hock. & Am.) Kuntze;