''Archidendron pauciflorum'', commonly known as djenkol, jengkol or jering is a species of flowering tree in the

pea The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...

family, Fabaceae. It is native to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

, where the seeds are a popular dish.Lim, T. K. "Archidendron jiringa." Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants. Springer Netherlands, 2012. 544-548. They are mainly consumed in

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

, and

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

and prepared by frying, boiling, or roasting and are also eaten raw.Larson, JAMES L., and RICHARD F. Clark. "Plant toxins in the tropics." Tropical Infectious Diseases (Second Edition)(2006): 102-19. The

beans A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes thr ...

are mildly toxic due to the presence of

djenkolic acid Djenkolic acid (or sometimes jengkolic acid) is a sulfur-containing non-protein amino acid naturally found in the djenkol beans of the Southeast Asian plant '' Archidendron jiringa''. Its chemical structure is similar to cystine but contains a met ...

, an amino acid which causes djenkolism (djenkol bean poisoning). The beans and leaves of the djenkol tree are traditionally used for medicinal purposes such as purifying the blood.Ong, H. C., and J. Norzalina. "Malay herbal medicine in Gemencheh, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia." Fitoterapia 70.1 (1999): 10-14. To date, djenkol is traded on local markets only.Wiriadinata, H. (1993) Archidendron jiringa (Jack) Nielsen. In: Siemonsma JB, Piluek K (eds.) Plant resources of South-East Asia No 8: Vegetables. Prosea, Bogor, p. 89–90

Vernacular names

Common English names are blackbead, dog fruit, ''djenkol'' tree, ''luk nieng'' tree and ''ngapi'' nut. As this plant grows in different countries in South-East Asia, it has a variety of vernacular names. The common names in Indonesia is ''djenkol'' tree, ''jinkol'', ''jarung'' (Sumatra) or ''jering'' (Java). It is called ''krakos'' in Cambodia, ''jering'' in Malaysia and in Thailand. Other vernacular names include ''luk nieng'', ''cha niang'', ''khang daeng'' and ''pha niang''. In Myanmar it is called ''da-nyin-thee'' or ''da-nyin-pen''.

Description

''Archidendron pauciflorum'' is a legume

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

with a size of 18–25 m, has spreading crown and

bipinnate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

leaves (up to 25 cm) and greyish smooth bark. The young leaves have a wine-red colour and are edible. Flowering time of the tree is between September and January. The white calyx cup-shaped flowers are bisexual and have various yellowish-white stamens. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

( legume) of the tree is a woody, glabrous and deep purple pod. Each Pod contains around three to nine round-shaped

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s. The pods are formed falcate or twisted in a wide spiral. The

seed coat A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosperm p ...

of a young seed shows a yellow-green colour and turns into dark brown during ripening. Then the ripe fruit dehisces along the

ventral Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

suture.

Habitat and ecology

The tree is indigenous to primary and secondary forests in humid, mountainous and undulating areas as well as on

river banks In geography, a bank is the land alongside a body of water. Different structures are referred to as ''banks'' in different fields of geography, as follows. In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terrai ...

from sea-level up to 1600 m altitude in Southeast Asian countries such as

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

( Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan),

and

Southern Thailand Southern Thailand, Southern Siam or Tambralinga is a southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand region by the Kra Isthmus. Geography Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around , bounde ...

. Djenkol trees grow best in pervious sandy or

lateritic Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...

s and they need a high rainfall guaranty.

Uses

Culinary Use

Nutritional value

The beans of the Djenkol tree have a crude

carbohydrate In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or m ...

content of about 26% which is relatively low compared to other common legumes, such as

cowpea The cowpea (''Vigna unguiculata'') is an annual herbaceous legume from the genus ''Vigna''. Its tolerance for sandy soil and low rainfall have made it an important crop in the semiarid regions across Africa and Asia. It requires very few inputs, ...

, kidney bean and

which all contain about 60 - 70%. The crude

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...

content instead is about 14.2%.Sridaran, Ashuwini, Alias A. Karim, and Rajeev Bhat. "Pithecellobium jiringa legume flour for potential food applications: Studies on their physico-chemical and functional properties." Food Chemistry 130.3 (2012): 528-535. This is higher than that of common

cereals A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food ...

, such as

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

(13%), rye (11%) or

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

(7%). The presence of adequate protein and low fat contents might be perceived as desirable by consumers. When processed to flour, the presence of high

moisture Moisture is the presence of a liquid, especially water, often in trace amounts. Small amounts of water may be found, for example, in the air (humidity), in foods, and in some commercial products. Moisture also refers to the amount of water vapo ...

content (about 59%) suggests that this seed needs to be further processed to improve the shelf life and the overall quality.

Ways of preparation

Djenkol beans are 3.0 to 3.5 cm in diameter and 1.5 to 2.0 cm thick and have a reddish-brown color. These beans are prepared by frying, boiling, or roasting and are also eaten raw. They are mainly consumed in

, and

. The seeds of djenkol are mainly used to add flavour to food, although the crushed seeds give off a mild sulfurous odorBarceloux, Donald G. "Djenkol Bean rchidendron jiringa (Jack) IC Nielsen. ''Disease-a-Month'' 55.6 (2009): 361–364. which is perceived as rather offensive by some people.Siemonsma, J. S., and Kasem Piluek. Vegetables. Pudoc, 1993. Young seeds are often eaten raw as so-called ulam.Siew, Yin-Yin, et al. "Ethnobotanical survey of usage of fresh medicinal plants in Singapore". ''Journal of Ethnopharmacology'' 155.3 (2014): 1450–1466. Mature seeds are prepared in different ways: * boiled thoroughly until the bad smell has disappeared, then consumed with salt and grated coconut. * steeped in salted water for some hours, then fried in oil. This also removes most of the offensive smell. * The seeds can be buried for about 14 days until they germinate. Then they are dug up and eaten after the sprout has been removed. This way of preparation is said to minimize the danger of intoxication by jengkolic acid.

Folk medicine

Different parts of the djenkol tree are applied in traditional medicine of

South-East Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...

. The raw seeds are thought to purify the blood or cure

dysentery Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...

. Compresses with young leaves are used for skin problems, and burnt old leaves are believed to relieve itchy feelings. The powder of burnt young leaves are applied to cuts and wounds.Muslim, Nahdzatul, and Amin Malik Shah Abdul Majid. "Pithecellobium Jiringa: A Traditional Medicinal Herb." (2010).

Other uses

''Archidendron pauciflorum'' can also be used for

dyeing Dyeing is the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials such as fibers, yarns, and fabrics with the goal of achieving color with desired color fastness. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular c ...

. The pods of the seeds dye silk purple and the bark of the tree dyes black. The shell is also being used for hair washing, timber as firewood and for building (e.g. coffins)''.'' Due to the content of

s in the seeds, the raw seed is also being applied to the production of organic pesticides in combination with other plants to kill and prevent the growth of pests.

Cultivation

Forms of cultivation

Djenkol trees have often been spared when primary or secondary

rain forest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...

has been cut down. Otherwise planting distances are 10–15 m. The plant favours a well-drained sandy, lateritic or sandy clay

. is propagated by Seed. Methods for clonal distribution are not yet been found. In nature Squirrels ''(

Callosciurus notatus The plantain squirrel, oriental squirrel or tricoloured squirrel (''Callosciurus notatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in a wide range of habitats: forests, mangroves ...

)'' eat the seeds and facilitate its distribution.

Harvest and post-harvest treatment

A tree produces between 1000 and 4000 seeds per year.Charungchitrak, Sarinya, et al. "Antifungal and antibacterial activities of lectin from the seeds of Archidendron jiringa Nielsen". ''Food Chemistry'' 126.3 (2011): 1025–1032. The main harvesting time in

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...

is around July to August, the aftercrop in December to February. Usually Djenkol is sold in the markets by number of seeds. For transport, seeds, in particular young ones, should not be removed from the pods to avoid desiccation. One way to store the seeds is by processing it into chips ( emping). Another possibility however could be its procession to flour. To date, due to the high moisture content, this is hardly done.

Pests and diseases

''Archidendron pauciflorum'' has a number of pests in common with other leguminous trees and shrubs such as the pod-borers '' Mussidia pectinicornella'' and '' Cryptophlebia ombrodelta'' or the caterpillars of the leaf-feeder ''

Eurema blanda ''Eurema blanda'', the three-spot grass yellow, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae which is found in Sri Lanka, India and southeast Asia. Description Life Cycle Egg Pale yellowish oval-shaped eggs are laid under or upper the le ...

'', one of the most common butterflies in Java.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3503085 pauciflorum Edible legumes Medicinal plants of Asia Flora of Southeast Asia Plant dyes Potentially dangerous food