Common Name: Marimari

General Information

Cassia leiandra is a small, deciduous tree with an ample, broad but very sparse crown growing from 6 - 14 metres tall. Te bole is usually twisted and around 20 - 30cm in diameter[416[].].
The edible fruit is commonly gathered from the wild and is greatly appreciated within the plants native range[]. The plant has a long history of cultivation, dating back to pre-Columbian times, and is still sometimes grown in Brazil[, ]. The tree is very ornamental, especially when in bloom, and can be grown in the garden[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern and northern Brazil, Colombia.

Habitat

Forests of the floodplains and seasonally flooded forests near lagoons and canals[]. Most commonly found in secondary formations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position[]. Often found in the wild on heavy, wet, clay soils[]. Plants are tolerant of seasonal inundation of the soil[].
A fast-growing plant[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The acidic-sweet, juicy pulp surrounding the seeds is eaten[, , ]. The fruit is harvested whilst the seeds are still green[]. The fruit is a legume 40 - 70cm long and about 3cm wide[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species in its native range - it could be used in local reforestation projects[].

Other Uses

The wood is thick-textured, moderately heavy, soft, of low durability and easy to work[]. It is only used locally, for applications such as internal work in the construction of rustic houses, tool handles, cheap toys, boxes etc[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. The seed has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. Germination should take place within 2 - 4 weeks. Young seedlings grow quickly[].

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