Fabaceae FAMILY

Inga alba

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Inga alba is a tree with a heavy rounded crown growing up to 33 metres tall, but usually less than 30 metres. The bole is unbuttressed but often fluted, varying from poor to moderately good in form. It can be unbranched for up to 15 metres and is usually 40 - 50cm in diameter, though exceptionally to 75cm[ 378 Title Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean Publication USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207 Author Longwood.F.R. Publisher USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC. Year 1962 ISBN Description Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of food, medicines and timber. The timber is sometimes traded, and the is sometimes cultivated for the edible flesh around the seed[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico.

HabitatA canopy tree in rain, marsh, and high savannah forests, found in both primary and secondary formations[ 378 Title Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean Publication USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 207 Author Longwood.F.R. Publisher USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC. Year 1962 ISBN Description Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet. ].