Entada rheedii

Entada rheedii
Entada rheedii
Pod at Talakona forest, in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Entada
Species: E. rheedii
Binomial name
Entada rheedii
Spreng.[1]
Synonyms

E. pursaetha DC.

Entada rheedii, commonly known as the African Dream Herb or Snuff Box Sea Bean, is a large woody liana or climber. It is often spelled as Entada rheedei, though the first and legitimate name was published as E. rheedii. The alternate spelling is to correctly honour Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Draakestein (1637–1691).[2]

The inner meat of the seed was either consumed directly, or the meat would be chopped, dried, mixed with other herbs like tobacco and smoked just before bedtime to induce vivid dreams.[3] Its seeds are found on east and southern African beaches, having grown on river and estuary banks and in swamp forest. They have thick and durable seed coats and can survive lengthy periods of immersion in seawater. These seeds are sought after as pieces of jewelry and as good-luck charms. As a result of its ready dispersal by sea, Entada rheedii is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries, but strangely not the Americas. These include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Zaire, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, KwaZulu-Natal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Queensland.

The plant is also used as a topical ointment against jaundice, and to treat muscular-skeletal problems.[4]

Entada rheedii seeds

References



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Entada — Taxobox name = Entada image caption = Entada africana fruit regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Fabales familia = Fabaceae subfamily = Mimosoideae genus = Entada subdivision ranks = Species subdivision = See… …   Wikipedia

  • Drift seed — Drift seeds (also sea beans) and drift fruits are seeds and fruits adapted for long distance dispersal by water. Most are produced by tropical trees, and they can be found on distant beaches after drifting thousands of miles through ocean… …   Wikipedia

  • Энтада — ? Энтада Энт …   Википедия

  • List of Southern African indigenous trees and woody lianes — This is a list of Southern African trees, shrubs and lianes.[1] Contents 1 Cyatheaceae 2 Zamiaceae 3 Podocarpaceae 4 Cupressaceae …   Wikipedia

  • Hendrik van Rheede — Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein Hortus Malabaricus, vol. 1 Nacimiento 13 de abril 1636 Ámsterdam …   Wikipedia Español

  • Oneirogen — Oneirogen, from the Greek oneiros meaning dream and gen to create, describes that which produces a dream like state of consciousness. Usually used in reference to drugs such as Artemisia vulgaris ( Mugwort ), Calea zacatechichi (the dream herb ) …   Wikipedia

  • Harina — refinada. La harina (término proveniente del latín farina, que a su vez proviene de far y de farris, nombre antiguo del farro) es el polvo fino que se obtiene del cereal molido y de otros alimentos ricos en almidón. Se puede obtener harina de… …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”