Tamarindus indica
This tall tree (up to 80 ft) has leaves consisted of many leaflets, growing in opposite direction and creating billowing effect with wind. Tamarind fruit is a brown legume (bean). Each pod contains a soft acidic pulp and many hard-coated seeds.
The fruit pulp is edible. Unripe, but it can be quite acidic and is used for savory dishes. It makes great deserts and jam, or can be preserved in sugar as candy. Makes great chilled drinks, like aqua fresca. In the Philippines, the tree leaves are made into tea to reduce the fever of malaria.
Tamarind trees provides up to 50% of Madagascar food resources when in season! Since few plants grow underneath this tall tree, there is a superstition that is harmful to sleep under it or tie an animal to it!
