Inga edulis
Inga edulis, commonly known as the Ice Cream Bean, is a versatile tropical legume native to South America. Renowned for its nutritious, sweet pulp and nitrogen-fixing capabilities, it serves dual purposes: providing a delicious snack and enhancing soil fertility, making it vital for both agroforestry and medicinal ecosystems.
- Scientific name: Inga edulis
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is ordered under Fabales and falls into the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Inga, specifically as the species Inga edulis.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Inga | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern focused primarily within the tropical regions of Africa. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is notably recorded in Nigeria. Its range extends further into West-Central Tropical Africa, where it can be found in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Additionally, the species is distributed across the islands of the Gulf of Guinea. Finally, its geographical footprint reaches into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Equatorial Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gabon | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | DR Congo | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Angola | WCVP |
| Malesia | Jawa | WCVP |
| Malesia | Malaya | WCVP |
| Southwestern Pacific | Vanuatu | WCVP |
Chemicals
Inga edulis has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| carotenoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |