THE INGAS OF THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Inga species
FAMILY: FAMILY: Leguminosae
The genus Inga, Leguminosae (Mimosoideae), is represented by approximately 180 species in the Brazilian Amazon and, of this number, there are but a handful of 4 to 5 species having any appreciable quality as edible, fresh fruit. Without question, first place goes to "inga cipo" (Inga edulis), significantly improved through cultivation; and, second place, just as surely, goes to "inga-acu" (Inga cinnamomea). The other species described here follow these two in importance, I. capitata, I. velutina, I. macrophylla, and I. alba. There is another group of Ingas with less abundant and less appealing portions, but which are appreciated by children in particular, and are useful as a survival food: "xixica" (I. alba), "inga de macaco" (I. fagifolia), "ingai" (I. heterophyllus), etc.
INGA AÇU, Inga cinnamomea Beth. (Inga chinela, "thong inga";. Inga grossa, thick inga.)
This is a medium-sized tree, 12 to 15 meters high when cultivated, but up to 30 meters in the wild, with quite a thick trunk. The forest trees have hollow branches in which tachi ants live (Pseudomyrna, which also live in Tachia guianensis, whence their name 1). The leaves are made up of three pairs of elliptical leaflets, glabrous and papery, varying in size from 10 to 27 cm by 3.5 to 10 cm, the largest always found at the end of the foliar rachis. The inflorescence is composed of globose capituli 2 with pure white, heavily scented flowers, the total length being about 17 mm. There are numerous stamens, fused into tubes up to slightly above the corolla. The pod is subcylindrical and a thick, cane-green when mature. It is up to 30 cm long and weighs up to 400 grams, with abundant, sweet, white pulp, strongly attached to the membranous testa. The seeds are oblong, about 3 cm long, arranged transversely in the pod, formed of two thick cotyledons. The number of seeds varies with the size of the pod, 2 seeds in the smaller ones and up to 15 in the largest.
Inga-açu is a native of the Brazilian Amazon, its geographical area extending as far as the Guianas. It is common in its wild state, in the marginal meadows along the Amazon River from its estuary as far as Peru, and along the Madeira and Purus rivers as far as Acre. It is extensively cultivated in the states of Pará and Amazonas, its fruits abounding in the markets of Belém in the months from March to May, as well as occasionally in November and December.
| LEGEND FOR ILLUSTRATION:A: Inga cinnamomea; B: Inga heterophylla; C: Inga fagifolia; D: Inga alba; E: Inga capitata; F: Inga macrophylla; G: Inga velutina. | 1 Translator's note. |
INGA-CIPO, Inga edulis Mart. Leguminosae (Mimosoideae)
Common Names
Inga, Rabo de mica ("monkey tail"), Guamo (Colombia); Pois sucré ("sweet pea") French Guiana; Guamo bejuco ("liana"), Venezuela; Shimbile, Guabo (Peru); Guava machek (Panama); Ice Cream Bean (West Indies); Ingaguazu ("great") Argentina; Guamo (Costa Rica); Pois Doux ("tender/sweet pea") Martinique.
Medium-sized tree, around 10-15 m high, occasionally to 25 m (Poncy 1985:64), low trunk, branching at times near the base, with a sparse crown. The leaves are compound, pinnate, the rachis winged with 4 6 pairs of subsessile leaflets, elliptical or oval, the lower ones invariably smaller, their base obtuse or rounded, the lateral veins are uniformly parallel with glands between the petioles. The terminal, or subterminal inflorescences are grouped in the leaf axils. The flowers are whitish, scented, sessile, and bunched at the end of the rachis. The calyx and corolla are tube-like, with about 80 stamens, the delicate filaments joined in a tube along half their length.
The Fruit
The fruit is a cylindrical pod, with many furrows along its length, olive green, from 50-100 cm long, exceptionally to a meter and a half. The exocarp is woody, and does not open spontaneously, with oblong seeds up to 3.5 cm long, and made up of two thick, shiny black cotyledons, the membranous testa dressed in white pulp (aril) which is soft, slightly fibrous and sweet tasting. Germination is precocious, initiating in the ripe fruit, at times while still on the tree.
Distribution
The "ingazeiro" is widespread in South America, extending across all of Brazil, except perhaps the extreme south, and is found in lands to the north and east, Central America and West Indies.
According to Ducke (1949:33) there are two varieties of Inga edulis in existence, parvifolia and typica. The second variety, which is the one described here is the real "inga-cipo", with relatively large flowers and very long, thick fruits, which apparently only occur near settlements where it is intensively cultivated.
It is one of the most popular fruit trees in the entire region, spreading spontaneously, and with great ease from abandoned seeds, especially in humus-rich or semi-sandy soils. It grows rapidly and may begin to bear fruit at 2 years of age, however it has a life span of only 20 years, or considerably less.
Use and Marketing
The pulp around the seeds is eaten fresh, indeed. there appears to be no other way to eat it. Flowering and fruiting seasons vary with individual specimens but 3 crops a year are possible. It is particularly in August and September that the markets of Belém are stocked high with the fruit.
The Ingas are still waiting for their Boswell. As Mr. Lambe pointed out, there are over 180 species in Brazil alone and, as you can imagine, the form and size of their fruit varies tremendously, some of which he has illustrated above.
DATE: March 1994
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