This article is about the genus of plant. For other uses, see Inga (disambiguation).
Inga is a genus of small tropical, tough-leaved, nitrogen-fixing trees[2] and shrubs, subfamily Mimosoideae. Inga's leaves are pinnate, and flowers are generally white. Many of the hundreds of species are used ornamentally.
Several related plants have been placed into this genus at one time, for example Yopo (Cohoba, Mopo, Nopo or Parica – Anadenanthera peregrina – as Inga niopo).[3]
The seeds are covered with sweet white powder. The pulp covering the seeds is lightly fibrous and sweet, and rich in minerals; it is edible in the raw state. The tree's name originates from the Tupi word in-gá meaning "soaked", due to the fruit powder consistency.[4] The tree usually blooms twice a year.
Within the Inga genus there are around 300 species, most of them native and growing in the Amazon forest region although some species are also found in Mexico, Greater and Lesser Antilles and other countries in South America, being an exclusively neotropical genus. The trees are usually found by river and lake edges because their seeds are carried there by floods.
Fruit of an Inga-speciesLeaves of an Inga-species
All Inga species produce their seeds in "bean-like" pods and some can reach up to 1 m long, in general the pods are 10–30 cm long.
Trees can reach up to 15 metres and they are widely used for producing shade over coffee plants. The plant benefits from well drained soil. The flowers are white with some green and the tree can produce fruits almost all year long.
Inga species, most notably Inga edulis (commonly known as "ice-cream-bean" or, in Spanish, "guama", "guaba", "guaba de bejuco" or "paterna" depending on the country or region) often have edible pulp. The name derives from the fact that those of I. edulis resembles vanilla ice cream in flavour.
In Ecuador, Inga edulis is known as "guaba de bejuco" and, the other popular species there, Inga spectabilis , as "guaba de machete".[5]
Alley cropping techniques using species of Inga have been developed to restore soil fertility, and thereby stem the tide of continual slashing and burning of the rainforest.[6][7] Species which have proven effective for alley cropping include Inga edulis and Inga oerstediana. Much of the research was done by Mike Hands at Cambridge University over a 20-year period.[2]Inga species are also commonly used as shade trees for coffee, cocoa, and tea.[8]
Other usesedit
It is often used as lumber in construction and furniture making.[9]
^ abElkan, Daniel. "Slash-and-burn farming has become a major threat to the world's rainforest" The Guardian 21 April 2004
^. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
^"Significado de ingá (dicionário inFormal)" (in Portuguese).
^Sotomayor, Ignacio and Duicela, Luis (1995) "Control Integrado de las Principales Enfermedades Foliares del Cafeto en el Ecuador" (preview in Spanish)
^Haugen, C., Revelo, N. "Amazon Rainforest Restoration and Conservation in Ecuador: Inga spp.". Retrieved 18 September 2006.
^Elkan, D. (2005, February). "The Rainforest Saver." The Ecologist, 35 (1), 56–63.
Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation
Mark Kinver (28 October 2019). "'Green gold' tree offers Brazil deforestation hope". BBC News.
November 28, 2023
inga, this, article, about, genus, plant, other, uses, disambiguation, genus, small, tropical, tough, leaved, nitrogen, fixing, trees, shrubs, subfamily, mimosoideae, leaves, pinnate, flowers, generally, white, many, hundreds, species, used, ornamentally, crea. This article is about the genus of plant For other uses see Inga disambiguation Inga is a genus of small tropical tough leaved nitrogen fixing trees 2 and shrubs subfamily Mimosoideae Inga s leaves are pinnate and flowers are generally white Many of the hundreds of species are used ornamentally IngaIce cream bean Inga edulis parts drawingScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder FabalesFamily FabaceaeSubfamily CaesalpinioideaeClade Mimosoid cladeGenus IngaMill Type speciesInga veraWilld SpeciesHundreds see List of Inga speciesSynonyms 1 Affonsea A St Hil 1833 Amosa Neck 1790 opus utique oppr Feuilleea L ex Kuntze 1891 nom superfl Ingaria Raf 1838 Inga sp MHNTSeveral related plants have been placed into this genus at one time for example Yopo Cohoba Mopo Nopo or Parica Anadenanthera peregrina as Inga niopo 3 The seeds are covered with sweet white powder The pulp covering the seeds is lightly fibrous and sweet and rich in minerals it is edible in the raw state The tree s name originates from the Tupi word in ga meaning soaked due to the fruit powder consistency 4 The tree usually blooms twice a year Within the Inga genus there are around 300 species most of them native and growing in the Amazon forest region although some species are also found in Mexico Greater and Lesser Antilles and other countries in South America being an exclusively neotropical genus The trees are usually found by river and lake edges because their seeds are carried there by floods Fruit of an Inga speciesLeaves of an Inga speciesAll Inga species produce their seeds in bean like pods and some can reach up to 1 m long in general the pods are 10 30 cm long Trees can reach up to 15 metres and they are widely used for producing shade over coffee plants The plant benefits from well drained soil The flowers are white with some green and the tree can produce fruits almost all year long Inga species most notably Inga edulis commonly known as ice cream bean or in Spanish guama guaba guaba de bejuco or paterna depending on the country or region often have edible pulp The name derives from the fact that those of I edulis resembles vanilla ice cream in flavour In Ecuador Inga edulis is known as guaba de bejuco and the other popular species there Inga spectabilis as guaba de machete 5 Contents 1 Use in agroforestry 2 Other uses 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksUse in agroforestry editMain article Inga alley cropping Alley cropping techniques using species of Inga have been developed to restore soil fertility and thereby stem the tide of continual slashing and burning of the rainforest 6 7 Species which have proven effective for alley cropping include Inga edulis and Inga oerstediana Much of the research was done by Mike Hands at Cambridge University over a 20 year period 2 Inga species are also commonly used as shade trees for coffee cocoa and tea 8 Other uses editIt is often used as lumber in construction and furniture making 9 See also editList of Inga speciesReferences edit Inga Mill Plants of the World Online Retrieved 2 September 2023 a b Elkan Daniel Slash and burn farming has become a major threat to the world s rainforest The Guardian 21 April 2004 USDA GRIN taxonomy GRIN Species Records of Inga Archived from the original on 14 October 2008 Retrieved 23 October 2011 Significado de inga dicionario inFormal in Portuguese Sotomayor Ignacio and Duicela Luis 1995 Control Integrado de las Principales Enfermedades Foliares del Cafeto en el Ecuador preview in Spanish Haugen C Revelo N Amazon Rainforest Restoration and Conservation in Ecuador Inga spp Retrieved 18 September 2006 Elkan D 2005 February The Rainforest Saver The Ecologist 35 1 56 63 Valle Guillermo 2010 Inga Alley Cropping Manual Rainforest Saver Guatemalan Mora Archived from the original on 24 December 2015 Retrieved 23 December 2015 External links edit nbsp Media related to Inga Fabaceae at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Data related to Inga Fabaceae at Wikispecies I Edulis at FACT Net plain text permanent dead link HTML Lost Crops of the Incas Little Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation Mark Kinver 28 October 2019 Green gold tree offers Brazil deforestation hope BBC News Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Inga amp oldid 1186971041, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
