Dipteryx oleifera
Species of plant in the family Fabaceae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dipteryx oleifera (syns. Dipteryx panamensis and Coumarouna panamensis), the tonka bean, eboe, choibá, or almendro (almond in Spanish), is a species of emergent rainforest tree up to 55 m (180 ft) tall[2] in the family Fabaceae (the subfamily Papilionoideae), native to Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador.[1][3][4]
| Dipteryx oleifera | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Dipteryx |
| Species: | D. oleifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Dipteryx oleifera | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
A valuable hardwood timber tree, its almond-flavored seeds are edible and sold in local markets.[5] Its seedpods are so oily that locals use them as torches.[6] It has "great potential" as an ornamental due to its spectacular bloom of pink flowers which lasts for weeks,[6] and is used as a street tree in Medellín, Colombia.[7] The flowers are followed by green fruit up to 6 cm (2.4 in) with seeds which are a critical food item for the great green macaw (Ara ambigua).[8]
Remarkably, this species has been identified as benefiting from being struck by lightning: it is almost undamaged while its parasites and nearby competitors are killed.[2][9]
References
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