Inga laurina
| Guama (Inga laurina) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific name | Inga laurina [1] |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Order | Fabales |
| Genus | Inga |
| Native range | Tropical America and the West Indies [2] |
| Habit | Evergreen tree, up to about 20 m but usually smaller [3] |
| Fruit | Pod with sweet, white, slightly aromatic flesh around the seeds [3] |
Inga laurina is a tropical American tree in the legume family, commonly called guama. It is accepted as a species in Fabaceae and is native across tropical America and the West Indies. [1] [2]
Description[edit | edit source]
The plant is described as an evergreen tree that can reach about 20 m, although it is usually smaller. Its recorded habitats include moist lowland limestone, wet to semi-dry forest, and some highland savanna. Root nodules are associated with nitrogen fixation. [3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
The documented habitat spans moist lowland limestone, wet forest, semi-dry forest, and some highland savanna. A compiled horticultural account also records tolerance of varied soils, including limestone. These records support choosing a site whose moisture and drainage match the local climate rather than treating one soil texture as mandatory. [3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Sunny exposure is recorded for this species, while its natural range includes both moist forest and more seasonal settings. Provide strong light where the plant is growing actively, and judge exposure alongside the site's heat, airflow, and moisture behavior rather than assuming that the forest habitat implies permanent shade. [3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Flowering and fruiting are recorded throughout the year in the compiled species account. In climates with a pronounced dry season, keep the plant's moisture supply aligned with actual weather and growth rather than imposing a dormant-season schedule on a species reported to flower and fruit year-round. [3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
The compiled account recommends sowing ripe seed promptly in light shade. It reports emergence in 15–20 days, transplanting at the four- to six-leaf stage, and planting out after about four to five months; greenwood cuttings are also listed. These timings are source-specific practical guidance, not a guaranteed germination rate or universal nursery schedule. [3]
A 2015 species-specific dissertation examined anther and ovule development and reported apomixis and adventitious embryony in its study of Inga laurina. That result does not establish that every seed is apomictic or polyembryonic, so seedling behavior should not be assumed from the report alone. [4]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The available species account records flowering and fruiting throughout the year. It describes pods with sweet, white, slightly aromatic flesh, but notes that the flesh is sparse around each seed. Fruit quality and flesh quantity can vary among trees and selections; the account does not provide a universal harvest stage or bearing-age schedule. [3]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The pod flesh is described as edible raw in the compiled account. That narrow use description should not be read as a comprehensive food-safety assessment, and no medicinal claim is made here. [3]
References[edit | edit source]
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Inga laurina in Parque da Cidade, Brasilia, Brazil: João Medeiros, Wikimedia Commons file page, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).
