Parkia intermedia
Content
Uses
Seeds consumed like those of P. speciosa (Heyne, l.c.) though harder and with a stronger smell.
Notes
This appears to be a hybrid between P. speciosa and P. timoriana. It is found almost exclusively in Java where it is probably an ancient cultivar. Originally described by Hasskarl as intermediate between its two probable parents (P. timoriana as P. grandis), he described the vegetative characters (Hasskarl 1844), saying that the leaflets were linear-oblong and obtuse in mature foliage (I.c. resembling P. speciosa) but more numerous, linear-falcate, and acute in juvenile leaves (I.c. similar to P. timoriana).
Subsequent authors have raised questions about the status and identity of P. intermedia, for example Prain, Backer, and Merrill. The situation has been complicated by confusion over types, the distribution to herbaria of mixed collections, occasional confusion of P. speciosa and P. timoriana, and possible distinctions between P. timoriana and P. roxburghii.
Backer (1911) described it as a hybrid between P. speciosa and P. timoriana (as P. roxburghii) which always grew from seed of P. speciosa (see also Van Steenis 1949). Backer distinguished two forms, the typical one, 'petir', and form pseudo- speciosa ('gundjae', also called 'pindej') which was a backcross, l.c. a hybrid between P. intermedia and P. speciosa. A table of comparison in the herbarium at Bogor gives differences between petej (P. speciosa), pindej, and petir, in the seeds, flower- heads, leaves, bark, habit, and abundance. The most distinctive differences appear to be in the seed, but these are absent from almost all collections labelled P. intermedia at BO. In petej, the seeds are "largest, softest, not bitter, best to eat"; in petir "intermediate in size and hardness, ± bitter, edible" (translation by H. Wiriadinata).
Subsequent authors have raised questions about the status and identity of P. intermedia, for example Prain, Backer, and Merrill. The situation has been complicated by confusion over types, the distribution to herbaria of mixed collections, occasional confusion of P. speciosa and P. timoriana, and possible distinctions between P. timoriana and P. roxburghii.
Backer (1911) described it as a hybrid between P. speciosa and P. timoriana (as P. roxburghii) which always grew from seed of P. speciosa (see also Van Steenis 1949). Backer distinguished two forms, the typical one, 'petir', and form pseudo- speciosa ('gundjae', also called 'pindej') which was a backcross, l.c. a hybrid between P. intermedia and P. speciosa. A table of comparison in the herbarium at Bogor gives differences between petej (P. speciosa), pindej, and petir, in the seeds, flower- heads, leaves, bark, habit, and abundance. The most distinctive differences appear to be in the seed, but these are absent from almost all collections labelled P. intermedia at BO. In petej, the seeds are "largest, softest, not bitter, best to eat"; in petir "intermediate in size and hardness, ± bitter, edible" (translation by H. Wiriadinata).
Citation
Whitm. 1972: p. 282. – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: sub P. speciosa.
Merr. 1910: p. 35. – In: Philipp. J. Sc., Bot.: sub P. roxburghii
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 53
Steenis 1949 – In: Fl. Males.: lxii
Heyne 1927: Nutt. Pl. Ned. Ind., ed. 2: 724
Backer 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 425
Koord. & Val. 1894 – In: Bijdr.: 276
Prain: p. 241. – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: sub P. speciosa
Backer & Bakh. f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 564
Hassk. 1844: Cat. Pl. Hort. Bog.: 289
Backer 1908: Schoolfl. Java: 104
Hassk. 1848: Pl. Jav. Rar.: 414