Local Names:
Rachaburi: กะเส็ดโคก กะเส็ดบก (gaset kho:hk, gaset bohk). Samutsongkram: กะตง กระถิน กระถินน้อย กระถินบ้าน ผักก้านถิน (ga dtohng, grathin, grathin naawy, grathin baan, phak gaanthin). Chiang Mai: ผักก้านถิน (phak gaan thin). Northern Provinces: ผักหนองบก (phak naawng bohk). Central Plains: กระถินไทย กระถินบ้าน กระถินดอกขาว กระถินหัวหงอก (grathin thai grathin baan grathin daawk khaao grathin huaa ngaawk). Southern Provinces: ตอเบา สะตอเทศ สะตอบ้าน (dtaaw bao sa dtaaw thaeht sa dtaaw baan). Other names: กระถินยักษ์ (grathin yak).
Description
Shrub to understorey tree up to 11 m tall and 17 cm dbh. Stipules dropped early. Leaves alternate, compound, leaflets opposite, penni- to tripli-veined, glabrous, small. Flowers ca. 2.5 mm diameter, white, protruding stamens, flowers placed in globose umbell. Fruits ca. 141 mm long, green-brown-black, strongly flattened, explosively dehiscing pods.
Ecology
In open disturbed vegetations and regrowth, also cultivated up to 1500 m altitude. Usually near rivers, but also along roads and ridges on sandy soils.
Uses
Used as shade crop and reforestation. Wood is used for paper pulp, fuel, and charcoal. The bark (pounded) is used against fungal infections and as a brown dye for fishing nets. Also used as cattle fodder. Leaves, flowers, and fruits are used in cooking. Seeds can be used as a substitute for coffee.
The young leaves and pods are edible.
Distribution
Originally from tropical Americas, but currently pan-tropical. In Borneo collected in Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and East-Kalimantan.
The information on this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and Thaifoodmaster does not purport to provide any medical advice.
