Inca Nut: Lao
(Plukenetia volubilis)
Inca nut is a semi-woody, vining perennial plant in the Euphorbiaceae family native to the high altitude rain forests of the Andes in South America. It is grown for the large seed and seed oil, used in cooking. Raw seeds are inedible but roasting after shelling makes them palatable. The viscous oil is yellow to orange in color and used for cooking.
Fruit pods are 3 to 5 cm in diameter with 4 to 5 points on the pod. Green pods ripen to blackish brown when the seed is mature for harvesting.