Common Name:

General Information

Monopteryx angustifolia is a large tree that can be more than 25 metres tall. The bole, which is buttressed, can be 120cm in diameter[].
The edible seed is gathered from the wild in quantity and used as an important food source by the local people.
Mimosa angustifolia is little known and poorly represented in herbaria. It is known to be of importance to the indigenous people of the northeastern Amazon basin both as a source of food and for its cultural value. Much of the species' range is encompassed by a designated ''Indigenous Area''. The habitat is known to be subject to a series of anthropogenic threats including logging, agriculture and to a lesser extent settlement development. Whilst these threats are not nearly as great as those experienced in the east of the Amazon basin they are leading to habitat loss and degradation. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Northern S. America - Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela.

Habitat

Rainforests, often near rivers[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid, lowland tropics. It is found in areas where the mean annual temperature is in the region of 26°c and the mean annual rainfall is around 3,400mm. The rainfall is fairly well distributed, but there is a drier period of about 3 months[].

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked[]. It can be roasted and eaten, although it is exceedingly bitter[]. The seed is normally prepared for consumption as follows:- The flexible seed coats are removed, if this was not already done when the seeds were collected. Each seed is then split neatly in half and the remaining paper-thin integument peeled off with the aid of a knife or fingernails - a very tedious undertaking. The split pulses are then softened by boiling in water for a considerable period of time, up to three or more hours. As the pulses boil, a small quantity of a light green oily substance is liberated, forming a scum on the sides of the pot[]. The cooked pulses are edible but still very bitter. To remove the bitter taste, they are placed in a large, loosely woven basket and leached by placing them in running water for two days[]. They are then eaten plain, or made into a drink with to the boiled liquid removed from freshly grated manioc[]. They can also be stored anaerobically, when they will ferment and develop a sharp, pleasant flavour[].
The seedpod is approximately 18 - 20cm long and flattened, with an average weight of over 50g. The pod is cracked open by the heat of the sun, allowing the seed to fall free to the ground, from whence it is collected[]. The seed is a large flattened disk measuring approximately 45 x 35 x 10mm, with an average weight of about 7g[]. The seed coat is usually slipped off as the seed is collected. Sprouted seeds, with sprouts of up to 3 - 4cm, are acceptable and frequently collected toward the end of the harvest season[].

Medicinal

A bitter tea prepared from the bark is valued as a vermifuge[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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