400 



VARIOUS LEGUMINOS^ 



portions, that is to say, the buds and young shoots, are used as a 

 vegetable. 



Parkia biglobosa (Tree).— This tree yields a straight elongated 

 pod with a farinaceous pulp which is used to prepare a food and also 

 a drink. The seeds are roasted like those of coffee. They are first 

 broken up and allowed to ferment in water, they are then crushed and 

 made into a flour, which is added to cooked meats as a condiment. 



This flour is known as N He flour, and the seeds by themselves, 

 separated from their thin woody covering, are also used for food. 



M. Balland gives the average weight of loo seeds as 27 grm. 

 The proportion of seeds is 70 per cent., and their composition is as 

 follows : — 



Water 



Ash... 



Cellulose 



Fat ... 



Sugars 



Non-nitrogenous matter 



Nitrogenous matter 



570 per cent. 



4"30 



2-90 



22-75 



I 2 '60 ,, 



15-54 

 36-21 



IGO-QO 



N etc flour contains a fairly high proportion of sugar : — 



Water 



Ash... 



Celkilose 



Fat ... 



Sugars 



Non-nitrogenous matter 



Nitrogenous matter 



Parkia biglobosa is found throughout the African tropical belt. 



Pentaclethra macrophylla (Tree).— The pod is about li ft. long, 

 compressed, and contains seeds 7 cm. long by 5 cm. broad. 



The embryo contains 4g per cent, of a fatty, oily matter, which 

 rapidly turns rancid. It is eaten by the blacks. 



