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Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree in the family Fabaceae indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is a monotypic taxon, having only a single species. The tamarind tree produces edible, pod-like fruit which is used extensively in cuisines around the world. Other uses include traditional medicine and metal polish. The wood can be used in carpentry. Because of the tamarind's many uses, cultivation has spread around the world in tropical and subtropical zones. ==Origin== ''Tamarindus indica'' is probably indigenous to tropical Africa,〔 〕 but has been cultivated for so long on the Indian subcontinent that it is sometimes also reported to be indigenous there.〔 〕 It grows wild in Africa in locales as diverse as Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria and Tanzania. In Arabia, it is found growing wild in Oman, especially Dhofar, where it grows on the sea-facing slopes of mountains. It reached South Asia likely through human transportation and cultivation several thousand years prior to the Common Era. It is widely distributed throughout the tropical belt, from Africa to South Asia, Northern Australia, and throughout Oceania, Southeast Asia, Taiwan and China. In the 16th century, it was heavily introduced to Mexico, and to a lesser degree to South America, by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, to the degree that it became a staple ingredient in the region's cuisine. Today, India is the largest producer of tamarind.〔http://www.cropsforthefuture.org/publication/Monographs/Tamarind%20monograph.pdf〕 The consumption of tamarind is widespread due to its central role in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, South East Asia and America, particularly in Mexico. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「tamarind」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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