Tamarind

This article is about the tropical plant. For the South American monkey, see Tamarin.
Not to be confused with Tamarix (tamarisk), a genus of small flowering trees and shrubs.
For other uses, see Tamarind (disambiguation) and Tamarindo (disambiguation).

Tamarind
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Detarioideae
Tribe: Amherstieae
Genus: Tamarindus
L.
Species:
T. indica
Binomial name
Tamarindus indica
L. 1753
Synonyms[3][4][5]
  • Cavaraea Speg. 1916
  • Cavaraea elegans Speg. 1916[2]
  • Tamarindus erythraeus Mattei 1908
  • Tamarindus occidentalis Gaertn. 1791
  • Tamarindus officinalis Hook. 1851
  • Tamarindus somalensis Matteqi 1908
  • Tamarindus umbrosa Salisb. 1796

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia.[6] The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae.

The tamarind tree produces brown, pod-like fruits that contain a sweet, tangy pulp, which is used in cuisines around the world. The pulp is also used in traditional medicine and as a metal polish. The tree's wood can be used for woodworking and tamarind seed oil can be extracted from the seeds. Tamarind's tender young leaves are used in South Indian and Filipino cuisine.[7][8] Because tamarind has multiple uses, it is cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical zones.

  1. ^ Rivers, M.C.; Mark, J. (2017). "Tamarindus indica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T62020997A62020999. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T62020997A62020999.en. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  2. ^ Speg. Anales Soc. Ci. Argent. 82: 223 1916
  3. ^ "Tamarindus indica L." The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  4. ^ Quattrocchi U. (2012). CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology. Boca Raton, Louisiana: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 3667–3668. ISBN 9781420080445. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  5. ^ USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program (February 10, 2005). "Cavaraea Speg". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  6. ^ El-Siddig, K. (2006). Tamarind: Tamarindus Indica L. Crops for the Future. ISBN 978-0-85432-859-8.
  7. ^ Borah, Prabalika M. (April 27, 2018). "Here's what you can cook with tender tamarind leaves". The Hindu.
  8. ^ Manalo, Lalaine (August 14, 2013). "Sinampalukang Manok". Kawaling Pinoy. Retrieved March 27, 2021.