Jalebi of jungle jalebi(pithicellobium dulcee)
J.M. Garg
Pithecellobium dulce is a flowering plant native to Central and northern South America. It is introduced and extensively naturalised in the Caribbean, Florida, Guam and Southeast Asia. It is considered an invasive weed in Hawaiʻi.
It is usually called Madras Thorn, or sometimes Jungle Jalebi in English, but it is not native to Madras. Other common names are guamachili or kamatsile (Filipino), and ʻopiuma (Hawaiian). The English names Manila Tamarind and "monkeypod" are misleading - it is not very closely related to tamarind and not native to Manila either, while "monkeypod" is more commonly used for the Rain Tree (Albizia saman).
The tree is about 5 to 8 meters high. Its trunk is spiny and its leaves are bipinnate. Each pinna has a single pair of ovate-oblong leaflets that are about 2 to 4 cm long. The flowers are greenish-white, fragrant, sessile and reach about 12 cm long though looks shorter due to coiling. The flowers produce a pod with an edible pulp. The seeds are black.
The seeds are propagated via birds that feeds on the sweet pod. The Manila tamarind is drought-resistant and can survive in dry land from sea level to 300m elevation. Because of these characteristics they are usually cultivated as street trees.
In folk medicine, a decoction of its bark can cure frequent bowel movement. The leaves can be applied as plasters for pain and veneral sores. Decoctions of leaves are also used for indigestion and abortifacient. Its fruit's pulp is sweet and can be eaten raw or prepared as beverage.
Its bark is also used due to its high tannin content and might be the reason behind its introduction to Guam from Mexico via the Philippines.
Taken near my residence on 16.5.8Vinod
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