Leucaena leucocephala or Lead Tree

Leucaena leucocephala or Guage (Mexico); wild tamarind (Corozal, Belize); lead tree (Florida); lamtoro (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea); ipil ipil (Philippines); jumby bean (Bahamas); false koa, koa haole (Hawaii); tangantangan, tangan tangan, talantayan (Guam, Marshall Islands); talntangan, ganitnityuwan tangantan (Yap); tuhngantuhngan, rohbohtin (Kosrae); telentund (Palau); lopa samoa (American Samoa); fua pepe (American Samoa and Samoa); lusina (Samoa); pepe (Niue and Samoa); nito (Cook Islands); siale mohemohe (Tonga); subabul (India); vaivai (Fiji); cassis (Vanuatu); te kaitetua (Kiribati); kay keo dâu (Vietnam), is a kind of shrub of the legume tribes (Leguminosae, legumes), which is often used in reforestation or erosion prevention. Originated from tropical America, this plant has introduced hundreds of years to Southeast Asia.

In Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia's fruit (locally called Leucaena) used as food and herbal medicines, although in limited quantities. The main use of this tree is for reforestation of degraded land and the wood used for firewood.

Characteristic of the tree:

This tree likes warm tropical climate (daily temperature of 25-30 ° C); altitudes above 1000 m asl may inhibit growth. This plant is fairly drought-tolerant and can be planted everywhere, including in areas with rainfall between 650-3000 mm (optimal 800-1500 mm) per year. However, these plants can not grow in standing water.

Can be grown in any soil condition, easy to adapt to the local climate, easily propagated by seeds that are old, stem cuttings, and with the removal of saplings. Because it is easy to grow, in many places often become rampant weeds. This plant was easy to grow; once pruned, felled or burned, bud-shoots will grow back in large quantities.

Trees or tall shrubs to 20 m; although most only about 2-10 m. Low and much branched, with brownish or grayish, nodule and have lenticels. Branches round the piston, with the tip of the hair tightly.

The leaves are compound and pinnate shaped copies, numbered 3-10 pairs of fins, mostly with glands on the leaf axis, just before the base of the bottom fin; the leaves fulcrum is small, triangular shape. Leaflets 5-20 pairs of each fin, face, the shape is elongated line, 6-16 mm × 1-2 mm, with a pointed tip and base is sloping (not equal), its surface is smooth-haired and frayed edges. The Leaves are bloom at night and closes its leaves at noon.

The flowers are compound form of long-stemmed excrescence, which gathered in panicles contain 2-6 excrescence; each nodule composed of 100-180 flowers, forming white or yellowish balls 12-21 mm in diameter, on top of the stalk 2-5 cm long. Flowers small, amounted respectively-5 for each; petal tube toothed short bell shape, about 3 mm, crown shape, lk. 5 mm, loose-loose. Stamen 10 strands, about 1 cm, separated.

Ribbon-shaped fruit pods straight, flat, and thin, 14-26 cm × 2 cm, with the boundaries between the grains. Green colors of the outer skin and finally greenish brown or dark brown when dry and when ripe the skin covering the seeds will break itself. Each pod contains 15-30 pieces of Leucaena leucocephala seed that lies crosswise in legumes, egg-shaped round eggs breech or upside down, with shiny dark brown color measuring 6-10 mm × 3 to 4.5 mm. The seeds resemble petai fruit, but smaller.

Utilization:

Leaves, flower buds and young pods ordinary engulfed in raw or cooked first. In some parts of Indonesia, the seeds are roasted as a coffee substitute parents, with aroma of coffee tougher. The seeds are already quite old, but not blackened, used as a kind of mixture of local salad there. Young fruit can also be used as a vegetable. The seeds can also be processed into soy substitute with soy nutrition are almost equal. The leaves are also often used as mulch and green manure, the leaves of this tree is decomposed quickly in soil.

The trunk is highly preferred as a wood fire, because it has a calorific value of 19,250 kJ / kg, with a slow burn and produce less smoke and ash. Wood charcoal is very good quality, with a calorific value of 48,400 kJ / kg. Solid wood is included for quickly growing tree size (density of 500-600 kg / m³) and wet wood moisture content between 30-50%, depending on age. The wood is fairly easily drained with good results, and easily processed. Unfortunately, that rarely has a big trunk size; boles are generally short and many knots, because this tree was much branching. The wood is reddish or golden brown, medium textured, hard enough and strong as wood furnishings, furniture, poles or floor coverings.

The leaves and young twigs of this tree utilized as an animal feed and a good source of protein, especially for ruminants. The leaves have a level of 60 to 70% digestion in ruminants, the highest among the types of legumes and other tropical forage

Scientific classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
•       Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular Plants)
•           Super Division: Spermatophyta (Produces seeds)
•               Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
•                   Class: Magnoliopsida (dashed two / dicots)
•                       Sub Class: Rosidae
•                           Order: Fabales
•                               Family: Fabaceae (legumes tribe)
•                                   Genus: Leucaena
•                                       Species: Leucaena leucocephala

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Fijian longan or Island lychee (Pometia pinnata)

Pometia Pinnata

Fijian longan or Island lychee (Pometia pinnata) is a kind of tropical fruit come front South East Asia and Pacific Islands as their origin habitat. Now Pamotia Pinnata grows concentrated in Papua Island and has it local name Matoa. This tree product a sweet and nice fruit named the same with its tree Fijian Logan or Matoa.

The taste of this fruit is combination between Lychee and Durian, two kinds of fruits that is the favorite in South East Asia regions. Even though has its very nice taste, so far this fruit is not yet popular outside the area of grown. Even in Indonesia, where Matoa grow, many people are not familiar. So far, this fruit tree is not yet widely cultivated and is still a forest crop. The reason may be the reason why Matoa not well known, even in their growing area. Once again, this fruit has a unique flavor, fresh sweet and deliciously scented.

Characteristic of the tree:

The tree

Matoa (Pometia pinnata) is a typical fruit tree of Papua, relatively large trees with an average height of 18 meters with an average maximum diameter of 100 cm. Generally fruiting once a year. Flowering in July to October and fruiting 3 or 4 months later.

Matoa fruit spread in Papua are in almost all regions of the plains to a height of ± 1200 m ASL. It grows well in areas that dry soil conditions (not flooded) with a thick layer of soil. Climate needed for good growth is climate with high rainfall (> 1200 mm / year).

This plant is easy to adapt to hot or cold conditions. This tree is also resistant to insects, which generally spoil the fruit. The wood is rather hard to be made for building materials such as windows, doors, flooring and others. Seedling propagation of plants through seeds. Plants started to bear fruit at the age of 7-8 years after planting.

Taproot. The leaves are large, the form are round to elongated round , leaves bones protruding down, flat edge. Stems up to 1 m. Leafy compound, leaves are arranged alternate, , 4-12 pairs of leaflets. When young leaves are bright red, having grown into a green, oblong shape, length 30-40 cm, width of 8-15 cm. 

Read also: Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota)

Compound flower and grows from the stalk tip, the form of flower is funnel. Round flower stalk, short, green, with petal-haired, green color. The stamens are short but the amount is a lots, white color. White-stalk, rounded base, white with a crown composed 3-4 strands of ribbon-shaped, yellow.

The Fruit:

Fijian Longan or Matoa

Round or oval fruit along 5-6 cm, the outer skin is smooth the color when the fruit ripe are yellowish green, yellow or red to black (depending on variety). Meat mushy fruit, white to yellowish, with a thickness varying from thin to thick. Round seed shape, light brown to blackish.

Sweet fruit flavors with aromas of fruit such as durian, the fruit has a lot of water, similar to litchi fruit. Clustered fruit in the fruit stalk. Each stem of the fruit contains 23-76 pieces weighing between 0,5 - 1,0 kg. Island lychee fruit rich with vitamin C and vitamin E, those nutrients serves among other as an antioxidant.

Scientific classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae (plants)
• Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (vascular)
• Super Division: Spermatophyta (produce seed)
• Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering)
• Class: Magnoliopsida (dashed two / dicots
• Sub-class: Rosidae
• Order: Sapindales
• Family: Sapindaceae
• Genus: Pometia
• Species: Pometia pinnata, Pometia acuminata and Pometia coreaceae.

Economic and Ecological Value.

Matoa fruit has promising economic prospects as a productive fruit crop. But unfortunately the business prospects of this fruit are still not being worked out in a large and planned manner. Along with the prospect of economic value, this fruit also contains ecological value for the improvement of the environment and ecosystem.

As a delicious fruit to consume, Fijian Longan also contains quite large amounts of vitamins C and E, as well as several other anti-oxidant elements. This can be an alternative for the world to add to the treasury of natural healthy foods. The need for tropical fruits is of course very large globally, this is the main factor why I put the economic prospects of this fruit into consideration.

Timber has many benefits, but now the use of forest wood will always be accompanied by environmental issues. Utilization of forest wood will go hand in hand with forest destruction if it is carried out carelessly without taking into account the sustainability of the forest as the lungs of the world and the guardian of fresh water supplies.

As I mentioned above, the Fujian Longan tree is a good hardwood to use for wood needs, sure if it is commercialized by observing the principles of a sustainable plantation industry, both economically and ecologically.

So far, especially in Papua Island as one of the biggest producers of this fruit, Matoa fruit is still mostly obtained as forest products and derived from wild or semi-wild plants. Of course, as a potential fruit that has not been glimpsed by the big plantation industries, the fruit production so far is still far from its true potential.

Read Alsp: Marian Plum - Bouea macrophylla Griffith

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Pare (Bitter Lemon)

Pare (Momordica charantia) or Bitter Melon is a vine and Asia tropical origin, especially the western India, namely Assam and Burma. Tribesmen pumpkin or Cucurbitaceous  commonly cultivated for use as a vegetable and a medicinal.In East Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, and China, bitter melon is used for the medical treatment, among others, as a cure indigestion, pep drinks, laxatives and vomiting, and even has been extracted and packaged in capsules as herbal medicine.

While in Indonesia, bitter melon is very popular and become part of the basic materials for variety of culinary dishes. Pare though has bitter taste, treated more as a vegetable than a fruit.

Characteristics of the tree:  

Bitter lemon is a type of vine, with long fruit shape and tapered at the ends, and jagged surface. Bitter lemon grows well in the lowlands, but can be found growing wild in wastelands, dry land, cultivated, or planted in the garden with propagated in the fence, these plants grow vines or climbing the spiral tendrils, much branched, smells bad and ribbed stems. Single leaf, stemmed and located alternate, elliptic, with a length of 3.5 to 8.5 cm, width 4 cm, sharing a 5-7, heart shaped base and dark green. Flowers are single flower, androgynous in a tree, long-stemmed, yellow crown.

This plant has a high adaptability, able to adapt to different climates. Can grow well in high rainfall, grows throughout the year and not depending on the season. Requires a good drainage. Require loose soil and contains a lot of organic matter. Requires a soil pH between 5-6.  Height between 1 meter to 1500 meters above sea level.

Fruit begins to grow after 1.5 months of age, the fruit can be picked a month later, because commonly  bitter lemon is used as a vegetable  so the fruit will be picked while still young. This tree will continue to produce until the age of 5 months, the harvest will be repeated in intervals of 6-7 days.

The Fruit:

Bitter lemon contains Albiminoid, carbohydrates and dyes leaves contain bitter substances, fatty oils, resins

acids, protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, B1 and C. Generally the fruit is dark green, light green and pale green,  depending on the type of varieties and growing locations. Elongated fruit form is almost round like a cucumber, but the outer skin is not smooth, but wrinkled and slightly tapered. It poses the fruit flesh is white when young and when old reddish orange with a lot of seeds. Part of the fruit that consumed by people is the outer skin, this part, when young will be used as vegetable.

Food value:
In accordance with the USDA National Nutrient data base pare every 100 grams contains: Energy 79 kJ (19 kcal), Carbohydrate 4.32 g, Fat 0.18 g, Protein 0.84 g, Water 93.95 g,V itamin A equiv. 6 mg, Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0051mg, Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0053mg, Niacin (Vit. B3) 0280 mg, 0041 mg Vitamin B6, Folate (Vit. B9) 51 mg, Vitamin C 33.0 mg, 0:14 mg Vitamin E, Vitamin K 4.8 mcg, Calcium 9 mg, 0:38 Iron mg, Magnesium 16 mg, Phosphorus 36 mg, Potassium 319 mg, Sodium 6 mg and Zinc 0.77 mg

Business Prospects:

Pare or bitter melon has a lot of good nutritional value. Usually used for vegetables both raw and processed. The taste of bitter melon is slightly bitter, but behind it is believed that it can be used in herbal therapy to fight several degenerative diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. Indonesians are used to using bitter melon as an herb to reduce diabetes.

Given that pare is a plant that is easy to cultivate, there is nothing wrong if the biological elements contained in this fruit are examined more carefully so that further benefits of this fruit can be ascertained, both as an addition to food and its medical potential.

The widespread use of bitter melon for medical treatment will provide much more wider business opportunities. From upstream to downstream.

Scientific classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
•       Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular Plants)
•           Super Division: Spermatophyta (Produces seeds)
•               Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
•                   Class: Magnoliopsida (Dashed two / dicots)
•                       Sub Class: Dilleniidae
•                           Order: Violales
•                               Family: Cucurbitaceae
•                                   Genus: Momordica
•                                       Species: Momordica charantia L

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Melinjo ( Gnetum gnemon )

Gnetum Gnemon

Melinjo ( Gnetum gnemon ) is native to Indonesia,Topical Asia, Melanesia and West Pasific. The color of the skin is deep red color when ripe,  green when the fruit young, then becomes yellow before turning to red. It is widely used in Indonesian cuisine. In Indonesia the young seeds are used for sayur asem (sour vegetables soup) and also, ground into flour and deep-fried as crackers (emping, a type of cracker). The crackers have a slightly bitter taste and are frequently served as a snack or accompaniment to Indonesian dishes, the leaves are also commonly used for vegetables dishes.

Common names include melinjo or belinjo (Indonesian), bago (Malay, Tagalog), muling (Acehnese) peesae (Pattani Malay), dae (Kwara'ae), phakmiang (Thai) and bét, rau bép, rau danh or gắm (Vietnamese). They are sometimes called padi oats or paddy oats.

Characteristic of the tree:

Melinjo is a tropical plant, can grow well on various types of soil, though less fertile. Melinjo can grow to a height of 1200 m above sea level but the maximum output is achieved when grow on location that height no more than 400 m above sea level.

Young Fruit

Melinjo trees are hardwood trees and can grow up to a height of approximately 15m. Melinjo trees are hardwood trees and can grow up to a height of approximately 15m. Woody round, and has a flat surface (laevis), gray-colored bark. Branching tree is simpodial and the root of Gnetum Gnemon tree classified to the taproot (radix Primaria), the roots digging deep into the ground.

Leaves of Gnetum gnemon is a single leaf, consisting of the petiole (petiolus) and the leaf blade (lamina). The leaf blade shape is oblongus, while leaf tips is acuminatus, leaf margins integer, and pinnate leaves (penninervis). Leaves position is opposite (folia opposita) without stipules.

Dioecus unisex flowers, found on grains in dichasium branching. Located on the armpit leaves (axillary), there brachtea on each bouquet. Male flowers consist of stamens, which is topped with a line of sterile ovulum. Female flowers are in a bouquet grain, with the partially fertile ovulum, wrapped by a fleshy perigonium.

The Fruit:

The seeds are not encased by the meat, but only wrapped outer skin, the outer skin color is green when young, becomes yellow when old and change to red when the seed is ripe. There is still a shell that protects the seeds fruit seeds, the seed shell old ivory when young and become brown when ripe, seed shells is harder (horn skin) but  thinner than the outer skin, the shape of the fruit is oval.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Calcium (mg)	163
Calories (cal)	66
Carbohydrate (g)	13.3
Fat (g)	0.7
Iron (mg)	2.8
Phosphorus (mg)	75
Protein (g)	5
Vitamin A (S.I)	1000
Vitamin B1 (mg)	0.1
Vitamin C (mg)	100
Water (g)	80
Source: Directorate of Nutrition - Department of Health of the Republic of Indonesia

Use of Melinjo:
Fruit Melinjo cannot be used just after harvest. Need additional process to enjoy Melinjo. However Melinjo is one of the raw materials for various types of cuisine are very popular in Indonesia.

Emping Melinjo.

Emping Melinjo

Emping is one savory dish that is very popular and has a high economic value. Emping is a kind of cracker made ​​from Melinjo, both made ​​by flour first, as well as directly to the ground after roasting it first.

Melinjo rind consists of two parts, the outer shell tends to soft, but the inside skin is hard. Good Emping made from high quality of Melinjo. 

 
Emping Melinjo, are actually krispy chips made from one hundred percent Melinjo fruit. Emping ready to be enjoyed after being fried, can be enjoyed as a snack, or additional food for varieties of Indonesia culinary, like Soto or Bakso.

On a state visit to Indonesia in 2010, one of the dishes served at the banquet in honor of the state presented President Barack Obama is Emping, Emping are supposedly one of his childhood favorite snack.

Sayur Asem (Tamarind Vegetable Soup) 

Sayur Asem

Sayur Asem is a very popular culinary folk in Indonesia. One of the main ingredients of Sayur Asem is Melinjo, young leaves Melinjo trees and mixed with corn, beans, peanuts, and a wide variety of other vegetables. Sayur Asem is a kind of soup using tamarind main seasoning, onion, garlic, brown sugar, and salt. The taste of Sayur Asem is sweet, sour, and slightly spicy, as in; certain areas of green chili are part of the kind of culinary. 

Of course, this dish is a food that is rich in vitamins and organic. There are various variations of this Sayur Asem dish, but Melinjo fruit and Melinjo leaves are ingredients that must be present in all variations of this dish.

Economic Value

In Indonesia and several countries in Southeast Asia, melinjo is used from the leaves, pulp to the skin of the fruit as a delicious and important food ingredient.

Melinjo fruit skin contains energy in the form of calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins A, B1 and C. In every 100mg of melinjo fruit skin there are 111 kcal of energy, 4.5 grams of protein, 1.1 grams fat, 20.7 grams of fat, 117 mg of calcium, 179 mg of phosphorus, 2.6 mg of iron, 0 IU of vitamin, 0.07 mg of Vitamin B1 and 7 mg of vitamin C. 

This content of the skin of Melinjo of course very useful for the health and fitness of the human body. While the melinjo fruit flesh and leaves contain Vitamin C and high oxidant essential ingredients.

The demand for fresh melinjo fruit, both young and ripe, is very high every day. Not to mention the food products made from it. So that melinjo tree farming is part of agricultural investment which has high economic prospects.

Scientific classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
•       Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular Plants)
•           Super Division: Spermatophyta (Produces seeds)
•               Division: Gnetophyta
•                   Class: Gnetopsida
•                       Order: Gnetales
•                           Family: Gnetaceae
•                               Genus: Gnetum
•                                   Species: Gnetum gnemon

Read Also: Jengkol, Jering or Dogfruit (Archidendron pauciflo).

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Jengkol, Jering or Dogfruit (Archidendron pauciflorum)

Dogfruit

Jering or Jengkol or Dogfruit (Archidendron pauciflorum, synonyms: A. jiringa, Pithecellobium jiringa, and P. lobatum) is a typical plant in the Southeast Asian region. Seeds are popular in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia as a food ingredient. Jengkol including the tribe of legumes (Fabaceae). The fruit is a pod, flattened shape convoluted form a spiral, dark violet color. Epidermis thin-skinned fruit seeds with shiny brown color. Jengkol can cause odor in urine after consumed. 

Jengkol known to prevent diabetes and is a diuretic and good for heart health. Jengkol plants also have the ability to absorb high groundwater, making it useful in water conservation.

One thing that "strange" is that although Jengkol when consumed will cause performance problems: bad breath, the smell of urine and body odor, but Jengkol in Indonesia and Malaysia including one of the very popular fruit and has a high economic value.

Characteristics of the tree:

Jengkol tree (Jering) can reach 10-26 meters, classified hardwood, and wood-skinned gray-brown. Jengkol is a typical plant of Southeast Asia, upright, rounded woody, and sleek.

This tropical plant has a fruit which is actually a seed, or the pods of the actual fruit. Each pod contained approximately 5-7 pieces. Jengkol trees can be grown from seed or by grafting. Jengkol plants grown by seeds or seedlings will begin to bear fruit when it is five years old or more. If Jengkol tree growing through the graft, the fruiting period will be much shorter. The leaves are green, elongated oval-shaped with a slightly pointed tip, lighter-colored veins. Has a taproot, and able to withstand large amounts of ground water.

You must read: Petai or Bitter Bean

One other characteristic of this tree is the tops of the leaves in the form of young leaves have a purple red color. The leaf color will turn greenish when old.  Generally grows wild, leafy tree, so that it fits into the tree shade.

The Fruit:

Jengkol including the tribe of legumes (Fabaceae), the form of  fruit is a pod and flat, twist and spiral-shaped, the outer skin is black, thick and hard enough, when young the color of the epidermis is pale yellow near to ivory and turn brown when old.  Meat that actually is a fruit seed, bright yellow like the color of ivory. Jengkol fruit is usually eaten raw when young, or consumed a variety of dishes for the old . The more old fruit, the more pungent smell. Flesh (seeds) will be hardened when old, so it requires special handling before consumption.

Behind the odor problem, this fruit is contained useful benefits for health.  According to various studies  noted that Jengkol also rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, alkaloids, essential oils, steroids, glycosides, tannins, and saponins.

Nutritional composition per 100 grams:
Substance Nutrition Levels : Energy (kcal) 133, Protein (g) 23.3, Carbohydrates (g) 20.7, Vitamin A (SI) 240, Vitamin B (mg) 0.7, Vitamin C (mg) 80, Phosphorus (mg) 166.7, Calcium (mg) 140, Iron (mg) 4.7, Water (g) 49.5.

However, noted also that Jengkol contains a substance named Jengkolat Acid  that can cause problems on the human urine network when over consumed. 

Economic potential:

Jengkol currently not yet a favorite food for the people of the world, only a few people outside the Southeast  Asia region who've try to taste this fruit. B ut today Jengkol prices continue to soar, especially in Indonesia in line with market demand and a decline in land cultivation.

More than 50% of Indonesia's population which has a total population of over 240 million people are a fan of this very pungent smelling fruit type,  a wide variety of foods can be made from this fruit. Either as a primary or supplemental material.  But not only Indonesia, jengkol fans also come from other Southeast Asian countries. 

As a side note, this is the number come from  the Central Statistics Bureau Indonesia on Jengkol production and land area for the past several years: 6,943 Ha (2010), 7,907 Ha (2011), and 7,163 Ha (2012). Sedangakn for production quantities jengkol reached 80 008 tons in 2008 and then decreased again to 62 475 tons (2009), 50 235 tons (2010), 65 830 tons (2011), and 61 537 tons (2012).

As of this writing, the problem of rising commodity prices is being highlighted because of extraordinary price rising. So what do you think? An economic potential?

Scientific classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
•       Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular Plants)
•           Super Division: Spermatophyta (Produces seeds)
•               Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
•                   Class: Magnoliopsida (dashed two / dicots)
•                       Sub Class: Rosidae
•                           Order: Fabales
•                               Family: Mimosaceae
•                                   Genus: Archidendron
•                                       Species: Archidendron pauciflorum

Read Also: Pare (Bitter Lemon)

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Petai or Bitter Bean

Bitter Bean

Petai or Parkia Speciosa or Bitter Bean or Stink  Bean, is a type of fruit that becomes an important source dishes in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Southern Thailand , Burma and Northern India. The seeds, also called "Petai,” consumed when young, either fresh or boiled.  Petai beans, a characteristic odor and pungent, eaten fresh or used as ingredients mixed menus.  They are best when combined with other strongly flavored foods such as garlic, chili peppers, dried shrimp, or shrimp paste, as in sambal Petai.

Petai trees height can reach 20m and less branched. The leaves are compound, composed of parallel. Compound interest, arranged in head (typical Mimosoidae). Flowers appear usually near the end of the branch. The fruit is large, elongated, pods type. From one head can be found up to a dozen pieces. In one piece there are up to 20 seeds, which are green when young and wrapped by a membrane rather thick, light brown color. Petai will dry out if ripen and release the seeds.

Scientific Classification:

• Kingdom         : Plantae
• Division          : Magnoliophyta
• Class               : Magnoliopsida
• Order               : Fabales
• Family             : Fabaceae
• Genus              : Parkia
• Species            : P. speciosa

Harvesting:
Petai is actually a tropical forest plant, but now mainly in Indonesia and Malaysia have become economically cultivated plants. Of course the main reason is the background of economic value. Harvesting of the fruit can be done in two different ways. One way is to use a long pole and the other is by climbing up to the tree.

In Indonesia and Malaysia  harvest season for Petai happens long enough between August until January.

Petai Tree

Food Value:

According to Wikipedia.com Petai has four times more protein than Apple fruit, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. Petai also a good source of energy; 142 kcal per 100 g seed. Petai contain three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose, and glucose combined with fiber. The combination is capable of providing an instant energy boost, but long enough and big enough effect. The content of phosphorus in the petai is also quite good, which is 115 mg per 100 g of grain. Petai also contains quite high vitamin C; 46 mg per 100 g of grain and vitamin A which is 200 IU per 100 g.i

Bitter Bean

Economic Value

In Indonesia, so many people like petai, regardless of gender or ethnicity. In short, petai, which is actually a pungent fruit, is liked by everyone nationally.  Petai is a favorite food to be used as a companion in enjoying the main dish. Usually enjoyed directly, fried or boiled. But most of all petai is used as an addition to various side dishes in Indonesia.

Even Indonesians prefer it when fried rice is mixed with petai as part of the basic ingredients for additional food.

Unfortunately, despite many requests, so far there has been no specific agricultural business that cultivates petai specifically. Petai is only treated as a garden plant or production forest as one of the other annual crops.

Thus, the comparison between demand and supply becomes unbalanced. The demand for these horticultural products can be much higher than the supply. Moreover, this is classified as a seasonal fruit. So you can guess the price of petai soared.

Are you interested in developing this plantation in Indonesia?

You to know: Sugar apple (Annona squamosa)

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The Rambuatan

Rambuatan (Nephelium lappaceum), according to popular belief and the origin of its name, rambutan is native to Indonesia and Malaysia, the name rambutan is derived from the Indonesian/Malay word rambutan, meaning "hairy", rambut the word for "hair" in both languages, a reference to the numerous hairy protuberances of the fruit. But rambutan also can be found in elsewhere in Southeast Asia region like Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and also in South Asia like India and Sri Lanka.

Rambutan

Rambutan fruit have the outer shell shaped to resemble hair. Generally  color of fruits are green when young, changed to yellow when the fruit is old, and then turn to red when the fruit is ripe. But in malaysia there are varieties of rambutan skin still yellow when ripe.

Scientific classification:

• Regnum              : Plantae
• Division              : Magnoliophyta
• Class                   : Magnoliopsida
• Order                  : Sapindales
• Family                : Sapindaceae
• Genus                 : Nephelium
• Species               : Nephelium lappaceum

Nutrition per 100 mg

The harvest season:
Rambutan is a seasonal fruit, Rambutan generally flowering at the end of the dry season and the rainy season fruit shape, around November to February. In Indonesia as one of the places of origin, have different varieties of Rambutan. At the time of the harvest season, Rambutan fruit can be found in all places. Rambutan is a garden plant and in some locations has been cultivated as an industrial crop. One of the main producing areas Rambutan fruit is Subang regency, West Java. At the peak of harvest Rambutan, fruit prices could fall to only 0.4 USD / kg. This plant starting to produce flowers after 7 years if grown from seed, but at the age of 2 years are able to bloom if propagated vegetively.

The Rambutan

Rambutan fruit will be ready to harvest after 4.5 months to 5 months after flowering, depending on varieties and growing conditions. In Indonesia, the main harvest usually occurs from March to May.

Read also: Pisum sativum (Pea)

Enjoying  Rambutan:

Color of Rambutan fruit flesh is white, wrapped by the outer with red, yellow or reddish yellow skin, then still wrapped again with white epidermis. Do not worry, it is not difficult to open the skin of the fruit, you can use your hand, or cut him with a knife. Then get to enjoy the sweet taste of fruit Rambutan rich nutrient.

Economic Value and Business Prospects

Rambutan is the main seasonal fruit in Southeast Asia, the taste of the fruit is sweet and sour refreshing. Has a good nutritional content as fresh fruit. Rambutan is also one of the favorite fruits in the region, when the rambutan season comes, these fruits can be found everywhere. Currently rambutan has been cultivated in various places, as a commercial plant and as a garden plant. When the fruit season comes, the prices are cheap. But outside the season fruit is almost impossible to find. There is no industry yet working on rambutan as processed goods; such as jam, dried fruit, fruit flour or other products that make rambutan fruit have more economic value and can be found all the time.

You can note this as a business opportunity while keeping the organic nutrition variants for humans wide open to choice.

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Dragon fruit or Pitaya (Hylocereus)

Pitaya or dragon fruit (part genus Hylocereus) is a cactus plant that originated Mexico, Central America, and North America and are now spread all over the world. In the region of origin this plant named pitahaya dragon fruit or pitaya roja. Residents there often utilize this fruit to be served as fresh fruit consumption.

Although originating from North and Central America, dragon fruit became known as the plant from Asia; because this is precisely the dragon fruit has been cultivated on a large scale in several Asian countries, especially the countries of Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. This plant was originally intended as an ornamental plant, because the triangular shape and spiny stems short and has a beautiful flower shaped like a funnel and started to bloom at dusk and will bloom at night.

Characteristic of the tree:

Dragon fruit plant is a climbing plant species. In their natural habitat, these plants live by climbing other plants and epiphytes are not a parasitic plant. In these plants, this plant morphologically is part of incomplete plant because it does not have leaves.

Root: Dragon fruit roots are epiphytes, vines and attached to other plants. In cultivation, made truss rod to knock the dragon fruit plants. The roots of dragon fruit is resistant to drought but cannot stand in a puddle of water for too long. Although the roots removed from the soil, the plant still can live, they can absorb food and water from the air routes that grow on the trunk.

Rooting system of Dragon fruit including shallow rooting, just before production only reached a depth of 50-60 cm, stems roots in the soil is brown. So that normal root growth and could well require a degree of acidity of the soil under ideal conditions, ie pH 7. If the soil pH is below 5, the growth will be slow and the plants become stunted.

Stems and Branches: dragon fruit stem color is bluish-green or purplish. The rod-shaped or triangular elbow, contain water in the form of mucus and encrusted candles when an adult. This stems growing from the branches together with the shape and color stems and leaves to serve as an assimilation process and containing cambium that has its function on plant growth. On the trunk and branches of this plant, grow hard and short spines. Spines located on the edge of the right-angled stems and branches; there are 4-5 spines on each point of grow.

Flowers, fruits and seeds:

Flowers: Flowers elongated funnel-shaped measuring about 30 cm and will start bloom in the afternoon and will be in full bloom at night. After bloom, color inner petals are pure white, yellow stamen inside there, and then will issue a fragrant smell.

Fruit: Fruit elliptic and usually located near the end of a branch or stem. The fruit can grow more than one at any branch or stem, sometimes grow near. Leather pieces about 1-2 cm thick on the surface of the skin and fruit are fins or tassels measuring about 2 cm. Known at this time there are two different skin colors are maroon and yellow. The pulp is white or red depending on the variety.

Seeds: small round and thin but very hard. Seeds can be used as a generative plant propagation, but this is rarely done because it takes a long time to produce. Seeds usually used by researchers to come up with new varieties. Each fruit contains about 1000 seeds.

Nutrient content:

Based on the research of Taiwan Food Industry Develop & Reearch Authorities, it is known that in 100 grams of dragon fruit sugar found some 13 to 18 briks, fiber or dietary fiber a number of 0.7 to 0.9 grams, beta-carotene between 0.005 to 0.012 grams, as much calcium 6.3 to 8.8 milligrams, water levels as much as 82.5 to 83.0 grams, protein with a number of 0.16 to 0.23 grams, fat as much as 0.21 to 0.61, phosphorus 30.2 to 36, 1 milligram, iron 0.55 to 0.65, a variety of vitamins such as B1 as much as 0.28 to 0.30 mg, vitamin B2 with the amount of 0,043 to 0,045 milligrams of vitamin C between 8 to 9 milligrams, niacin contents in the levels of 1,297 to 1,300 milligrams and many others.

Dragon fruit cultivation :

In general , the dragon fruit cultivated by cuttings or sowing seeds . Plants will thrive if planted porous media ( not muddy ) , rich in nutrients , sand , enough sunshine and temperatures between 38-40 ° C. 

If treatment is good enough, the plant will start bear fruit at the age of 11-17 months. Dragon fruit is very adaptive, can be cultivated in various daearah with altitude 0-1200 m asl. The most important thing is getting enough sunlight is a requirement of red dragon fruit growth.

Dragon fruit can be grown with soil conditions and altitude of any location, but the plant will be greedy enough nutrients, so if the soil contains fertilizer is good, then the growth will be good. Within 1 year, dragon fruit tree can reach a height of 3 feet.

Scientific classification:

• Division      :  Spermatophyta (seed plants)
• Subdivision :  Agiospermae (seed enclosed)
• Class          :  Dicotyledonae (dashed two)
• Order         :  Cactales
• Family        :  Cactaceae
• Subfamily   :  Hylocereanea
• Genus        :  Hylocereus
• Species: 

1. Hylocereus undatus (white meat)
2. Hylocereus polyrhizus (red meat)
3. Hylocereus costaricensis (super red meat)
4. Selenicereus megalanthus (yellow skin, without scales)

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Pangium edule or keluak or keluwak or pucung

The seeds

Pangium edule is a tall tree native to the rivers banks and mangrove swamps of Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea). The fruit of Pangium edule has its native name keluak, keluwak, pucung, or picung in Indonesia and kepayang in Malay. Pangium edule fruit is a large poisonous fruit, however, through the fermentation process, local residents of the area can change the fruit seeds become an important part of the region's culinary.

Characteristic of the tree:

Kluwek or kepayang is a straight trunked tree; capable of reaching 60 feet high with a trunk diameter of up to 120 cm. Branches are not too tight. The leaves are heart-shaped, with a width of 15 cm. and length 20-cm. dark green and shiny on top, while the bottom is rather whitish and slightly hairy.

This plant grows in the wet tropical rainforest and is a native plant that grows from Southeast Asia to the western Pacific. Kepayang Flacourtiaceae family member who is able to grow in the lowlands up to an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level.

This tree has a taproot, strong and buttresses. While the woody stem, whitish green to gray, round shape and has haired young branches. The plants begin to bear fruit at the age of 6-10 years continuously, especially during the rainy season. 

Kepayang or keluwek (Pangium edule) flowers grown in twig, greenish white, similar to papaya flowers. Flower-shaped is bunches and the crown has a length of 5-8 cm.

Kepayang fruit is elliptical with a tapered tip and base portion, a length of 30 cm and width 20-cm. Kepayang fruit shape like a rugby ball or American football. Fruit skin color is brown, with a slightly hairy surface.

White flesh and soft. A very hard shell, asymmetrical shape, protects Kepayang seed; with a size of 3-4 cm. Seed shell has a texture with blackish brown color. Shell thickness between three sd. 4 mm. Very white flesh colored seeds. Traditionally used by humans is a fruit seed meat, of course after the fermentation process. 

The content and Utilization:

As the name suggests, this plant is able to make people become kepayang (drunk or hungover). This is because, particularly seeds, contain high concentrations of cyanide. Cyanide addition, several other chemical constituents contained in the fruit kepayang (Pangium edule), including vitamin C, iron ions, beta-carotene, hidnokarpat acid, acid khaulmograt, glorat acid, and tannins. 

Seed and the pulp after fermentation

Various substances that make the kepayang, keluwek, Picung or Pangium edule has a wide range of benefits and uses, such as julienne materials (rods), anthelmintic (leaf), antiseptic, bug remover, preservatives, and material for oil (seeds).

Kepayang fruit has another major benefit that is as important herbs in Indonesia and Malaysia: Rawon (Black Soup) is one of the favorite dishes of Indonesia are in absolute need to the seeds of this fruit as the marinade.

To eliminate cyanide acid content, fruit kepayang or kluwek (Pangium edule) which have matured and fallen from a tree collected in a sack and left wet by the rain or even soaked in water within 10-14 days. The fermentation process occurs in the process and content of beef stew with beans will change from white to black.

Substances and essential vitamins in fruit seeds kluwek:

Vitamin C, iron ions, beta-carotene, acid cyanide (poisonous nature, easily evaporate at a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, if inhaled can lead to the death of animals, safe for fish preservation), hydnocarpate acid, chaulmoogras acid, chlorate Acid and Tannins (as preservative fish).

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz):
(Source: USDA Nutrient Database)

• Energy 462 kJ (110 kcal)
• Carbohydrates 23.9 g
• - Sugars 14.1 g
• - Dietary fiber 6.2 g
• Fat 2 g
• Protein 2.3 g
• Vitamin A equiv. 19 µg (2%)
• - beta-carotene 230 µg (2%)
• Vitamin C 25.8 mg (31%)
• Calcium 15 mg (2%)
• Iron 2.2 mg (17%)
• Magnesium 32 mg (9%)
• Manganese 0.155 mg (7%)
• Phosphorus 52 mg (7%)
• Potassium 151 mg (3%)
• Sodium 4 mg (0%)
• Zinc 0.43 mg (5%)

Scientific classification:

• Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
•    Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular Plants)
•       Super Division: Spermatophyta (Produces seeds)
•          Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
•            Class: Magnoliopsida (dashed two / dicots)
•               Sub Class: Dilleniidae
•                 Order: Violales
•                    Family: Flacourtiaceae
•                      Genus: Pangium
•                         Species: Pangium edule

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