Dipteryx odorata

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dipteryx-odorata

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Dipteryx odorata
2. What is the family classification?Fabaceae (Pea family)
3. Why does the tonka bean smell so good?The tonka bean has a lot of a natural chemical called coumarin. This gives it a sweet scent that reminds people of vanilla, almond, and spices.
4. Can we eat tonka beans?In some places, eating tonka beans is not allowed because of the coumarin inside them. They are mainly used to make perfumes and to flavor foods like vanilla.

Fabaceae: The scientific family name for flowering plants, commonly known as the pea or legume family.
Coumarin: A naturally occurring organic chemical compound with a sweet scent, found abundantly in the tonka bean.
Anticoagulant: A substance that prevents blood from clotting, crucial in treating and preventing thrombotic disorders.