''Dipteryx oleifera'' (syns. ''Dipteryx panamensis'' and ''Coumarouna panamensis''), the tonka bean, eboe, choibá, or
almendro (almond in Spanish), is a species of
emergent rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
tree up to tall
in the family
Fabaceae
Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,[International Code of Nomen ...](_blank)
(the subfamily
Papilionoideae), native to Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador.
A valuable hardwood timber tree, its almond-flavored seeds are edible and sold in local markets. Its seedpods are so oily that locals use them as torches.
It has "great potential" as an ornamental due to its spectacular bloom of pink flowers which lasts for weeks,
and is used as a
street tree
Urban forestry is the care and management of single trees and tree populations in Urban area, urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry involves both planning and management, including the programming of ...
in
Medellín
Medellín ( ; or ), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín (), is the List of cities in Colombia, second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia Departme ...
, Colombia.
The flowers are followed by green fruit up to with seeds which are a critical food item for the
great green macaw (''Ara ambigua'').
Remarkably, this species has been identified as benefiting from being struck by lightning: it is almost undamaged while its parasites and nearby competitors are killed.
References
oleifera
Non-timber forest products
Flora of Honduras
Flora of Nicaragua
Flora of Costa Rica
Flora of Panama
Flora of Colombia
Flora of Ecuador
Plants described in 1850
{{Faboideae-stub