Parkia speciosa Hassk
Family
Leguminosae
Synonyms
Parkia macrocarpa Miquel.
Vernacular Names
|
Malaysia |
Petai. |
|
Indonesia |
Petai, pete (Javanese), peuteuy (Sundanese). |
|
Thailand |
Sator (General), sator dan (Peninsular), sator kow (Peninsular). |
Geographical Distributions
Parkia speciosa is native to Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and peninsular Thailand. Occasionally it is cultivated, but rarely outside its native area.
Description
Parkia speciosa is a tree that can reach up to 30 m tall, with smooth reddish-brown bark and hairy branchlets.
The leaves are arranged alternate and bipinnate. The petiole is 2-6 cm long, with subcircular glands about 1 cm above the base. The rachis is 18-30 cm long, with subcircular glands between the junctions of the basal pairs of pinnae. There are 14-18 pairs of pinnae which are 3-9 cm long, and with circular glands below the basal pairs of leaflets. There are (18-)31-38 pairs of leaflets per pinna which are linear, and measuring 5-9 mm x 1.5-2.2 mm where the base at one side is expanded into an apiculate auricle. The apex is rounded and mucronate.
The inflorescence is a pear-shaped pendulous head and measures 2-5 cm in diametre. The peduncle is 20-45 cm long. The flowers are small and numerous. They are brown-yellow, male or asexual at the base of the head and bisexual at the apex of the head. The sepal and petal are tubular and 5-lobed. There are 10 stamens (staminodes). The filaments at the base unite into a tube. The ovary is borne on a short stalk.
The fruit is a legume on a long stalk. It measures 35-45 cm x 3-5 cm, usually strong twisted and prominently swollen over the 12-18 seeds.
The seed is broadly ovoid, measuring 2-2.5 cm x 1.5-2 cm, horizontal in the pod, with very thin testa and white.
Ecology / Cultivation
Parkia speciosa is frequently cultivated from the plains up to elevations of 1500 m, but it does best between 500-1000 m. At low elevations, there are pest problems, and above 1000 m, productivity decreases. Wild trees are found in primary and secondary forests, mostly at low elevations.
Line Drawing / Photograph
Read More
1) Safety
References
-
Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.8: Vegetables.
