Parkia discolor

Spruce ex Benth.

Discolor nitta tree

Fabaceae 16 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Description

A tree.

This description is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the Amazon rainforest.

Where It Grows

Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, South America, Venezuela,

Cultivation

Grows best in a sunny position. Found in the wild on poor, white sandy soils. Tolerant of seasonal inundation of the soil. Young plants have a fast rate of growth. Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen.

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and benefits from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the treated seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A moderate germination rate can usually be expected, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 40 days.

Other Uses

The wood is coarse-textured, straight-grained, light in weight, with poor mechanical properties, durable, but susceptible to the attacks of termites. Easy to cut, it is used for veneer backing, light boxes, toys etc. A fast-growing tree tolerant of poor soils and growing well in full sun, it can be used as a pioneer plant when restoring native woodland.

Synonyms

Parkia auriculata Spruce ex Benth.

Also Known As

Arapari, Arara-tucupi, Cacani-caritsapi, Casaba de murcielago, Cazabe de murcielago, Faviera, Gipouba, Manope, Manope-de-praia, Pira-adabi, Tankam, Visgueiro-do-igapo