Fabaceae FAMILY

Inga edulis

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Ice cream bean is an evergreen tree with a broad, spreading, moderately dense crown; it usually grows up to 20 metres tall, though specimens up to 30 metres have been recorded. The cylindrical bole is often contorted, it can be up to 60cm in diameter, often branching from near the base[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ , 453 Title Woods of Northeastern Peru Publication Author Williams L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Field Museum Press; Chicago. Year 1936 ISBN Description Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. Can be downloaded from the Internet. , 549 Title Flore Forestiere Du Globe Publication Author Chnacerel L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Gauthier-Villars et Co.; Paris. Year 1920 ISBN Description Written in French, a very detailed work on the timbers of the world. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The edible fruit is very popular in S. America, where it is commonly gathered from the wild and also often cultivated[ 301 Title Cornucopia II Publication Author Facciola. S. Publisher Kampong Publications, California. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 Description The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc. , 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. , 416 Title Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics Publication Author Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. Year 2000 ISBN 85-867174-24-0 Description A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits. ]. The fruits are often sold in local markets[ 416 Title Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics Publication Author Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. Year 2000 ISBN 85-867174-24-0 Description A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits. ]. The tree is also used extensively, especially in Central America, to provide shade in coffee, tea, and cacao plantations, and also around dwellings[ 301 Title Cornucopia II Publication Author Facciola. S. Publisher Kampong Publications, California. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 Description The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc. , 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 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. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeNorthern and western S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas.

HabitatForests on the riverine flood plains[ 416 Title Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics Publication Author Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. Year 2000 ISBN 85-867174-24-0 Description A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits. ]. Moist, wet, or sometimes rather dry forest, or in open places at elevations below 1,500 metres[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. Thickets and wooded swamps at elevations of 110 - 540 metres in Peru[ 453 Title Woods of Northeastern Peru Publication Author Williams L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Field Museum Press; Chicago. Year 1936 ISBN Description Gives information on the properties of the wood of well over 1,000 species of woody plants from northeastern Peru. Can be downloaded from the Internet. ].