“Introduced as an ornamental plant from tropical America, it has since become a serious weed as it is shunned by cattle (buffaloes) can eat it) and has few insect enemies… It is sometimes cultivated and the frutis are edible. The pounded leaves have been used to treat wounds and ulcers and are said to be emetic”.
“It readily colonises open ground and is known to invade agricultural areas, riparian zones, disturbed areas, sand dunes and other coastal areas, pasture, road sides, gardets and swamp margins”
“This is a large seashore tree of this region…. It is an excellent shade tree but not enough are planted along the wayside”.
“The fruits are astringent and are used to stun fish. They are pulped and thrown into the river, the saponin in the seeds apparently poison the fish”.
“The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and also traded. It is valued for its rapid growth and ability to grow on poor soils, and has been planted throughout the humid tropics and is a major plantation species in Asia… (The seed) is edible and highly nutritious, and can be eaten safely as a fairly major part of the diet. Not all species are edible, however, and some can contain moderate levels of toxins”.
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