Closely related to Inga goldmanii[].

Common Name:

General Information

Inga mucuna is a medium-sized tree usually growing no more than 10 metres tall, but with occasional specimens up to 20 metres[]. The bole can be 10 - 50cm in diameter[].
It is harvested from the wild for the edible pulp that is found in the seedpod[].
The tree is generally scarce through much of its range. Much of the unprotected forest at the low elevations where it grows is exposed to increasing settlement, farming and agriculture. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central America - Panama.

Habitat

Young, lowland, moist forest and along the shore[]. Often found in secondary formations[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of the lowland, moist tropics[].

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[].

Edible Uses

The pulp that surrounds the seeds inside the seedpod can be eaten raw or cooked[, ]. A sweet flavour. The pods are 25 - 33 cm long, 5 - 6 cm wide and 0.5 cm thick[].

Medicinal

None known

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[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: How many fingers does the typical human have?