Edible-fruit
Guides
Inga
shimbillo, ice-cream-bean, guama, guaba, guaba de bejuco, paterna
Inga is a genus of small tropical nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs in the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae. The genus comprises approximately 300 species, most native to the Amazon forest region, with others distributed across Mexico, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, and other parts of South America. Inga species are characterized by pinnate leaves, generally white flowers, and distinctive bean-like pods containing seeds covered in sweet, edible white pulp. The genus is exclusively neotropical and has significant economic and ecological importance, particularly in agroforestry systems.