Species Of Parkia Research Articles

Unusual diversities of seed beetles (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) on Parkia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in Brazil

Earlier studies of the interrelationships between bruchid beetles and their host plants have suggested that the typical pattern tends to be that one bruchid species attacks only a few host species, and that most host species are attacked by only one bruchid species, or at most very few. However, the bruchids attacking Parkia in Amazonian Brazil do not conform to this pattern. The bruchid diversity on Parkia was found to be higher than on any other legume genus yet studied. It is not yet possible to assess whether Parkia is particularly unusual in this regard, or whether such high levels of diversity are typical in Amazonian forests. The number of bruchid taxa attacking any one Parkia species is related to the number of co-occurring closely-related Parkia species. In either taxonomically or geographically isolated host species the bruchid diversity is much reduced.

African locust bean (parkia species) and its west african fermented food product, dawadawa

African locust bean (Parkia species) is a perennial tree legume. It plays an important part in traditional agriculture, but has not entered commercial trade to any significant extent. Parkia trees are found in Africa, South‐East Asia and tropical South‐America. In Malaysia and Indonesia, the whole pods, including seeds of Parkia speciosa, are eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable known as petal. In West Africa, from Gambia to Cameroun, the beans of the Savannah species, P. blglobosa, are widely fermented to the traditional dawadawa, while the yellow pericarp pulp is eaten as a fresh food, dozim. Small quantities of dawadawa are used as a protein and fat‐rich flavoursome ingredient of the traditional soups and stews eaten in West Africa. It contributes useful amounts of lysine and riboflavin, which are deficient in the diet in the region. Dawadawa is an interesting example of the use of fermentation as a low‐cost method of food preservation.

A REVISION OF THE GENUS PARKIA R. BR. (MIM.) IN AFRICA

1. In Africa occur 4 species of Parkia R.Br. (and two varieties); a fifth species introduced. 2. A key to these closely related taxa is given. 3. The taxa are described and the descriptions accompanied by references to literature, a survey of economic use, of biological or ecological facts, vernacular names are given, and the specimens examined cited. 4. The name P. clappertonicna Keay ought not to replace P. africana R.Br. 5. Seed-characters are decisive in distinguishing among 3 species.