VARIOUS LEGUMINOS^ 395 



Detarium senegalense (Tree). — The flesh of this fruit is floury and 

 greenish in colour. The negroes eat a large quantity. A closely 

 allied variety occurs which is dangerous. 



Dialium nitidum (Tree). — The fruit is a rounded berry, somewhat 

 compressed, black and velvety in appearance, and contains a floury 

 pulp. The pleasant and somewhat acid flavour of this pulp makes it 

 a favourite among the negroes. 



Hymenaea Courbaril (Tree). — The pod contains about 20 to 30 sweet, 

 starchy seeds. They may be used as food for man, and especially for 

 children, without any previous preparation (Decaux, Le Naturaliste, 

 1891). 



Tamarindus indica (Tree). — The tamarind is a fine tree which 

 sometimes attains large dimensions. It is distributed throughout the 

 Tropics, and especially in India, Africa, Northern Australia, &c. In 



{Ske/c/i by J'. A. Di's>H!sscau.v. 



Fig. 60. — Flower of Tamarind (natural size). 



India this plant is the subject of a fairly important trade on account 

 of the pulp which surrounds the seeds. 



It produces pods which ripen during the dry season. The husk, 

 which is very fibrous, contains a pulp which is both sweet and acid at 

 once. In India it is estimated that a large tree may produce 200 to 

 250 kilos of fruit. 



The proportion of seeds in the fruit is 35 to 36 per cent., of pulp 

 53 to 56 per cent., and of husk 10 to 12 per cent. 



The seeds, which average o'76o grm. in weight, are eaten by certain 

 Indian tribes. They are either dried in the sun or lightly roasted and 

 subsequently reduced to flour. This flour is used to make cakes or 

 sometimes even mixed with corn to make bread. The seeds may have 

 some harmful efl'ect if they are not completely separated from their 

 husks and seed-coats, which contain certain astringent properties. 



The seeds, when pounded and boiled, form an adhesive mucilage 

 used for binding and other purposes. 



