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Useful Tropical Plants

Inga fastuosa

(Jacq.) Willd.

Fabaceae

+ Synonyms

Feuilleea fastuosa (Jacq.) Kuntze

Inga guaremalensis Pittier

Inga venosa Griseb. ex Benth.

Mimosa fastuosa Jacq.

Common Name:

Inga fastuosa
Ripe seedpods
Photograph by: Feroze Omardeen
Creative Commons License
Inga fastuosa Inga fastuosa Inga fastuosa

General Information

Inga fastuosa is a tree growing 10 - 15 metres tall[
408
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 53
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
Contains an excellent treament of a section of the genus Inga. An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet.
].
The tree is grown to provide shade in coffee plantations.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

408
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 53
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
Contains an excellent treament of a section of the genus Inga. An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet.

Range

S. America - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guyana; Caribbean - Trinidad.

Habitat

Lowland forests in Trinidad[
408
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 53
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
Contains an excellent treament of a section of the genus Inga. An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height12.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of the lowland tropical rainforests[
408
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 53
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
Contains an excellent treament of a section of the genus Inga. An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet.
]. It often forms part of the canopy trees[
408
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 53
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
Contains an excellent treament of a section of the genus Inga. An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet.
].

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[
755
Title
Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].

Edible Uses

Although we have no specific information for this species, many members of this genus produce a sweet-tasting edible pulp around the seeds[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. The seedpod is up to 28cm long and 4cm wide[
408
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 53
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
Contains an excellent treament of a section of the genus Inga. An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is grown to provide shade in coffee plantations in northern S. America[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. Since the roots fix atmospheric nitrogen, the plant also helps to fertilize the soil[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Inga species generally have a number of factors that make them popular for use as shade trees in coffee and cacao plantations:- they grow quickly and so soon make an effecte shade; they respond well to drastic pruning and so are easy to keep within the required size and shade levels; they promote and maintain soil fertility; they are effective soil stabilizers[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].

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[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].
When grown as a shade tree, the plant is pruned on a regular basis, and these prunings are often burned as a fuel[
1309
Title
The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation
Publication
 
Author
Allen O.N.; Allen E.K.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin
Year
1981
ISBN
0-333-32221-5
Description
An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Inga+fastuosa>

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