Perennial Indian hemp, Maria herrania
A tropical plant. It mostly grows in the highlands in the tropics. In North India it grows between 300-1,100 m above sea level. It does well in seasonally moist and dry climates. It is drought tolerant. It needs an average, well-drained soil. It needs an acid pH. It needs full sun. It suits hardiness zones 10-11.
Also known as:
Batthuc, Bon naga, Boguinca, Cacahuillo, Cacao de monte, Cacau-de-jacare, Cacau-jacare, Cay tai meo, Chinne, Chuit, Devil's cotton, Dieng-tyrkhum, Kumal, Kushi bakau, Kushiikam, Kushikan, Kushikiam, Mamua, Muc, Mway-ma-naing, Mway-say, Mway-seik-phay-pin, Nesa-paubim, Nga-be, Sanukapari, Sanu kapase, Sweet chuil, Teindum, Ulat kambal, Ulat-kam-bala, Ulot kombol
Synonyms
- Abroma alata Blanco
- Abroma angulata Lam.
- Abroma angulata Poir. Abroma augustum (L.) L.f.
- Abroma communis Blanco
- Abroma denticulata Miq.
- Abroma elongata Lam.
- Abroma fastuosa R. Br.
- Abroma javanica Miq.
- Abroma mariae Mart.
- Abroma mollis DC.
- Abroma obliqua C. Presl.
- Abroma sinuosa G. Nicholson
- Abroma wheleri Retz.
- Herrania mariae (Mart.) Decne ex Goudat
- Theobroma angusta L.
- Theobroma mariae (Mart.) K. Schum.
Edible Portion
- Leaves, Vegetable, Fruit, Seed, Seeds - oil
Where does Perennial Indian hemp grow?
Found in: Africa, Amazon, Asia, Australia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, South America, Thailand, Vietnam, Yap
Notes: There is only one Abroma species. They grow in Asia. This one is used for making ropes and strong bags (bilums). It is used in medicine. The leaves have protective effect against diabetes. It has also been put in the family Sterculiaceae.
Status: A minor wild leafy vegetable. The seeds are eaten raw by children.
Growing Perennial Indian hemp, Maria herrania
Cultivation: It grows wild. It can be grown from seeds or cuttings of half ripe wood. Seeds germinate in 21-30 days at 24°C.
Edible Uses: The leaves have been reported as being eaten in Chimbu in Papua New Guinea and also in Vietnam. (The roots are used as a medicine) The seeds are roasted and eaten. They are also used for oil. They are also fermented. The fruit pulp is eaten raw.
Production: In Sikkim seeds are available October to January.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
References
Suppl. pl. 341. 1782 ("1781") "<I>Ambroma augusta</I>" (Abroma augustum (L.) L. f.)
Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 2
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Bennett, B. C., 1990, Useful Plants of Amazonian Ecuador. US Agency for International Development. Fifth Progress Report. New York Botanical Gardens. p 40 (As Herrania mariae)
Borrell, O.W., 1989, An Annotated Checklist of the Flora of Kairiru Island, New Guinea. Marcellin College, Victoria Australia. p 139, 223
Creed-kanashiro, H., et al, Traditional food system of an Awajun community in Peru. Indigenous Peoples' food systems Chp. 4 (As Herrania mariae)
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Kuhnlein, H. V., et al, 2009, Indigenous Peoples' food systems. FAO Rome p 82 (As Herrania mariae)
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Paz, F. S., et al, 2021, Edible Fruit Plant Species in the Amazon Forest Rely Mostly on Bees and Beetles as Pollinators. Journal of Economic Entomology, XX(XX), 2021, 1–13 (As Theobroma mariae)
Peekel, P.G., 1984, (Translation E.E.Henty), Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for Naturalists, Division of Botany, Lae, PNG. p 373, 372
Pham-Hoang Ho, 1999, An Illustrated Flora of Vietnam. Nha Xuat Ban Tre. p 495
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Smith, N., et al, 2007, Amazon River Fruits. Flavors for Conservation. Missouri Botanical Gardens Press. p 150 (As Herrania mariae var. putumayonis)
Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 574
Sundriyal, M., et al, 1998, Wild edibles and other useful plants from the Sikkim Himalaya, India. Oecologia Montana 7:43-54
Thai Forestry Bulletin 23:62-108, 1995
Van den Eynden, V., et al, 2003, Wild Foods from South Ecuador. Economic Botany 57(4): 576-603 (As Herrania mariae var. putumayonis)
Wild edible plants of Himachal Pradesh
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew