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Useful Tropical Plants

Jumellea fragrans

(Thouars) Schltr.

Orchidaceae

+ Synonyms

Angraecum fragrans Thouars

Common Name: Faham

Jumellea fragrans
Drawing of a flowering plant
Photograph by: Matilda Smith
Public domain

General Information

Faham is a fairly fast-growing epiphytic orchid, becoming a bushy, often semi-pendent plant with many shoots when a few years old[
431
Title
The Orchid Review Vol. 117, No. 1287
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society; Wisley.
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the culinary uses of the orchid Jumellea fragrans.
]. The whole plant, but especially the dead and decaying old leaves, has a sweet, coumarin-like scent[
431
Title
The Orchid Review Vol. 117, No. 1287
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society; Wisley.
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the culinary uses of the orchid Jumellea fragrans.
].
The leaves are used to make a popular tea, popularly used within the plants native range.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

Africa - Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean.

Habitat

Epiphytic in the higher branches of trees at mid-elevation[
431
Title
The Orchid Review Vol. 117, No. 1287
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society; Wisley.
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the culinary uses of the orchid Jumellea fragrans.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
HabitPerennial
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

A tea called 'The de Bourbon' is made from the aromatic leaves[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
431
Title
The Orchid Review Vol. 117, No. 1287
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society; Wisley.
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the culinary uses of the orchid Jumellea fragrans.
]. The best flavour is obtained from leaves picked green. Carefully cut off a few leaves and let them dry in a dark and airy place. When you can smell their sweet
fragrance, they are ready to use[
431
Title
The Orchid Review Vol. 117, No. 1287
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society; Wisley.
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the culinary uses of the orchid Jumellea fragrans.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow, preferably as soon as it is ripe, and do not allow the compost to dry out. The seed of this species is extremely simple, it has a minute embryo surrounded by a single layer of protective cells. It contains very little food reserves and depends upon a symbiotic relationship with a species of fungus. The fungal hyphae invade the seed and enter the cells of the embryo. The orchid soon begins to digest the fungal tissue and this acts as a food supply for the plant until it is able to obtain nutrients from decaying material in the soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. It is best to use some of the soil that is growing around established plants in order to introduce the fungus, or to sow the seed around a plant of the same species and allow the seedlings to grow on until they are large enough to move.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Jumellea+fragrans>

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