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Sesbania grandiflora
Sesbania grandiflora, common names vegetable hummingbird,[2] katurai, agati, and West Indian pea, is a leguminous tree of family Fabaceae native to Maritime Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. The flowers are eaten in Southeast and South Asia. DescriptionSesbania grandiflora is a leguminous tree of family Fabaceae. It is fast-growing and soft-wooded, and it grows to heights of 5–20 metres (16–66 feet). The leaves are regular and rounded, and grow to 15–30 cm (6–12 in) long, with leaflets in 10–20 pairs or more and an odd one. The flowers white, red or pink and are oblong, 1.5–10 cm (1–4 in) long in lax, with two to four flower racemes. The calyx is campanulate and shallowly two-lipped. The fruits, or seed pods, look like flat, long, thin green beans. They are slender, falcate or straight, and 30–45 cm (12–18 in) long, with a thick suture, and each contains approximately thirty 8 mm (0.3 in) seeds. The tree thrives under full exposure to sunshine and is extremely frost sensitive.
Distribution and habitatIt is native to Maritime Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei) to Northern Australia, and is cultivated in many parts of South India and Sri Lanka. It grows where there is good soil and a hot, humid climate. ToxicityFeed from the seed can be deadly to chickens.[3] Uses S. grandiflora has many traditional uses.[4] Its flowers are 92% water, 7% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contain no fat.[5] In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), the flowers supply 27 calories, and are a rich source of vitamin C (88% of the U.S. and Canada Daily Value (DV)) and folate (26% DV).[5] CulinaryThe flowers of S. grandiflora are eaten as a vegetable in Southeast Asia,[6] including Java and Lombok in Indonesia, the Ilocos Region of the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.[citation needed] In the Thai language, the flowers are called ดอกแค (dok khae) and are used in the cuisine both cooked in curries, such as kaeng som and kaeng khae, and raw or blanched with nam phrik.[7] The flowers are also prominently used in Cambodian cuisine and are associated with the Bon Om Touk. The flower's stamen is generally discarded before use. In addition to raw and blanched, the flowers can also be battered and deep fried.[6] The leaves are also edible.[8] The leaves are eaten young. The seed pods are also consumed, similarly only when young.[6] The leaves are sometimes available commercially, but flowers and seed pods come primarily from kitchen gardens.[6] FodderIt is used to make highly nutritional fodder for ruminants like cattle, but it is deadly to chickens.[3] See also
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