Caballero B. (ed.) Encyclopaedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition. Ten-Volume Set

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in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). In addition to the

usefulness of its fruit, the tamarind has the advantage

of being one of the best ornamental trees of the

tropics.

0035 The tree is slow-growing and, under favorable con-

ditions, can reach a height of 24–30 m. It is highly

wind-resistant with strong supple branches. The mass

of bright green, fine, feathery foliage is composed of

pinnate leaves, each having 10–20 pairs of oblong

leaflets 12.5–25 mm long and 5–6 mm wide, which

fold at night. The flowers are inconspicuous and

borne in small racemes. They have five petals, of

which two are reduced to bristles and are yellow

with orange or red streaks. The flower buds are dis-

tinctly pink due to the outer color of the four sepals,

which are shed when the flower opens.

0036 The fruits are flattish, bean-like, irregularly curved

pods, borne in abundance along the new branches, and

vary from 50 to 150 mm in length and 20 to 30 mm in

diameter. The pods are cinnamon brown or grayish

brown externally and initially tender-skinned with

green, highly acid flesh and soft whitish underdevel-

oped seeds. As they mature, the pods fill out, and the

juicy pulp turns brown to reddish brown. The skin

becomes brittle and is easily cracked, and the pulp

dehydrates to a sticky paste enclosed by a few coarse

strands of fiber extending lengthwise from the stalk.

The seeds are glossy brown and squarish in form.

0037There are many food uses of the tamarind, ranging

from vegetable preparations to flavoring in many

types of cuisine and dishes. The most outstanding

characteristic of the tamarind is, however, its astrin-

gency and its prime use as a souring agent. It is also

rich in B complex vitamins. When fully ripe, fruit are

also eaten fresh. The pulp is made into a variety of

products and is included as an ingredient in many

well-known brands of chutneys, curries, and sauces.

It also serves as a flavoring in certain fish dishes.

Sugared tamarind pulp is often prepared as a con-

fection.

0038Over-ripe fruits also have their uses; for example,

they can be used to clean and brighten silver, copper,

and brass. The tamarind also has numerous medicinal

uses. The pulp is officially listed in the British, Ameri-

can, and other pharmacopeias, and some 90 000 kg of

the shelled fruits are annually imported into the USA

for the drug trade. Tamarind preparations are univer-

sally recognized as refrigerants in fevers, as laxatives,

and as carminatives.

Garcinia livingstonei

(African

Mangosteen)

0039Garcinia livingstonei is known as the mangostan or

African mangosteen and originates in Southern

Africa. It is found growing in the northern coastal

regionofKwaZulu-Natal,Mpumalangaand Northern

Province of South Africa, Mozambique, and Swazi-

land. It grows northwards as far as Somalia. The

mangostan is also found in the northern parts of

Botswana and Zimbabwe. It occurs most commonly

at low altitudes, in riverine fringes, and in open

woodland.

0040The tree is small to medium with a height of

2–10 m. It has a very distinctive habit, being stiff

with rigid branches arising at an acute angle. The

tree is evergreen. The leaves are simple and usually

in whorls of three, elliptic, oblong to ovate, leathery,

glossy dark green above, and paler green below. The

young leaves are bright red. The sweetly scented

flowers are small, cream to greenish yellow and are

borne on slender stalks in groups on short knobbly

side spurs clustered along the older stems. The almost

spherical fruit are up to 25 mm in diameter and

are yellow to orange when mature. Mangostans are

usually harvested from November to January (see

Figure 11).

0041The fruit is usually eaten fresh and has a delicious

acid-sweet flavor. Fruits are also used to prepare an

alcoholic beverage. Potential exists for processing of

this fruit into numerous products including beverages,

jams, and jellies. Extracts of the leaves and flowers

have been tested and show antibiotic properties.

fig0010 Figure 10 Fruit of Sclerocarya birrea (marula).

2808 FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Lesser-known Fruits of Africa

Cordyla africana

(Wild Mango)

0042 Cordyla africana, also known as wild mango, is a

large, spreading, deciduous tree up to 25 m in height.

It usually occurs at low altitudes in hot areas. The

leaves are alternate, compound, imparipinnate with

11–28 leaflets plus a terminal leaflet. Flowers are

produced in short, dense axillary sprays, or clustered

in the leaf axils. Petals are absent, and the yellow–

orange stamens form a spherical head, with the

flowers somewhat resembling the characteristic

‘powder-puff’, but the stamens are stouter and more

robust. The fruits usually resemble a semifleshy drupe

that is almost spherical and yellow when ripe, with

the seeds embedded in the edible fleshy pulp. The

fruits vary in size and are usually 40–80 mm in length

and 30–60 mm in diameter. They contain ascorbic

acid (vitamin C) and are much sought after by the

local people, being eaten either fresh or cooked. The

wood is brown and hard, and is traditionally used for

building purposes or for making African drums. The

tree exudes a gum resin.

Harpephyllum caffrum

(Wild Plum)

0043 Harpephyllum caffrum is a small to medium-sized

evergreen tree, 6–10 m in height. The compound

leaves are alternate, crowded at the end of the

branches. The leaf consists of four to eight pairs of

opposite leaflets plus a terminal leaflet. The leaflets

are lanceolate, occasionally ovate, without hairs and

dark shiny green. The flowers are small, whitish to

yellowish green in small, branched sprays near the

end of the branches. Male and female flowers are on

separate trees. The fruit is oblong, thinly fleshy, up to

25 mm long, and red when mature.

0044 The fruits are rather sour and relished by children.

Good wines and jellies can be made from the fruit.

The tree is decorative and is frequently planted as an

ornamental.

Parinari curatellifolia

(Mobola Plum)

0045Parinari curatellifolia is an indigenous fruit much

sought after by local people. The mobola plum is

a large evergreen tree with a spreading habit and can

reach heights of 12 m. The leaves are alternate, oblong,

and usually about 75 mm in length. The flowers are

small and borne in compact heads. The fruits are oval

to round approximately 50 mm long and 35 mm in

diameter. The skin of the mobola plum is russet to

grayish in color and pitted. Its pleasant-tasting yellow

flesh has a variety of uses (see Figure 12).

0046It is eaten fresh and made into a porridge, and a

syrup is made from the fruit, providing the basis for a

refreshing nonalcoholic drink and also an intoxicat-

ing beverage. In traditional medicine, an extract from

the bark is used for the treatment of pneumonia,

abdominal complaints, and toothache. The root is

used for ear and eye complaints. A bark extract is

also used in tanning by local peoples. The wood of the

tree is hard and resistant to borers and has been used

fairly extensively for roof construction, poles, and

benches in rural areas.

Vangueria infausta

(Wild Medlar)

0047Vangueria infausta has many common names locally,

including wild medlar, mmilo and mispel. It is a small,

deciduous tree found in the Eastern and Northern

regions of South Africa. It grows well in dry areas

and fruits between January and April (see Figure 13).

0048The fruits are greenish, becoming light brown

when ripe. They are almost spherical with a diameter

of 25–35 mm (see Figure 14).

fig0011 Figure 11 (see color plate 71) Fruit of Garcinia livingstonei (Afri-

can mangosteen).

fig0012Figure 12 (see color plate 72) Leaves and mature fruit of Pari-

nari curatellifolia (mobola plum).

FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Lesser-known Fruits of Africa 2809

0049 The fruits are used by local people, especially

during food scarcity, and are relatively high in ascor-

bic acid (vitamin C). The seed kernels are eaten as a

nut and are rich in protein. The potential of the fruit

would appear to be in processing, since a number of

products can be made from the fruit.

0050 Often, small gall-like growths are noticed on the

leaves; these are caused by a fungus, which attacks the

leaves.

See also: Fruits of Tropical Climates: Commercial and

Dietary Importance

Further Reading

Coates Palgrave KC (1977) Trees of Southern Africa. Cape

Town: Struik.

Morton JF (1987) Fruits of Warm Climates. Miami, FL: J.F.

Morton.

Palmer E and Pitman N (1972) Trees of Southern Africa.

Cape Town: Balkema.

Van Wyk BE and Gericke N (2000) People’s Plants: A Guide

to Useful Plants of Southern Africa. Pretoria: Briza.

Wehmeyer AS (1967) Edible wild fruits of the Transvaal.

Journal of Food Industries of South Africa 19: 49–53.

Fruits of Central and South

America

G T Prance, University of Reading, Reading, UK

Background

0001Tropical America is the source of many familiar fruits,

especially avocado, cacao, guava, papaya, passion

fruit, and pineapple. However, the region is also the

source of a cornucopia of lesser-known fruits of great

importance to local peoples. A visit to any market in

Central or South America is well worthwhile to see

many less familiar fruits that are traded daily. Many of

the fruits grown and marketed in the region are from

elsewhere in the tropics and are treated in other entries

(See Fruits of Tropical Climates: Commercial and

Dietary Importance; Fruits of the Sapindaceae; Fruits

of the Sapotaceae; Lesser-known Fruits of Africa;

Lesser-known Fruits of Asia), for example, oranges,

bananas, jack fruit, carambolas and mangoes. The

fruits are arranged here in alphabetical order of the

botanical family to which they belong because this

brings related fruits together. Some of the lesser

known fruits are also described here.

Anacardiaceae (Cashew or Sumac Family)

Cashew Apple (

Anacardium occidentale

)

0002Cashew is more familiar for the nut, but is also the

source of a pseudofruit. The nut is borne on the end of

a swollen, pear-shaped, fleshy stalk known as the

cashew apple or pear. This technically is not a fruit,

since the nut is the actual fruit. The red- or yellow-

colored pear is used as a fruit to make a provitamin A

and C-rich juice, cashew wine, syrup, preserves,

pickles, etc., or is eaten raw. Cashew is widely culti-

vated throughout Central and Southern America and

elsewhere in the tropics, but is a native of the arid

lands of northeastern and central Brazil.

Hogplum (

Spondias mombin

)

0003This is a plum-like yellow fruit of Amazonian origin

that is widely cultivated throughout Central and South

America, Florida, and elsewhere. It is one of the most

fig0014 Figure 14 (see color plate 73) Fruit of Vangueria infausta (wild

maedlar).

fig0013 Figure 13 Ripe fruit of Parinari curatellifolia (mobola plum).

2810 FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Fruits of Central and South America

popular fruits in Amazonia as an icecream flavor or for

its juice. The ripe fruits rot quickly, and so it is not easy

to ship and is used locally where it is grown. A related

species is Spondias dulcis or the golden-apple from the

Pacific is also widely cultivated in tropical America.

Annonaceae (Soursop Family)

0004 This plant family is the source of a wide range of large

fleshy fruits, the best-known of which are the

cherimoya, the soursop, and the custard apple.

Soursop (

Annona muricata

)

0005 A large compound fruit 15–30  10–20 cm in size

and weighing up to 3 kg. The fleshy pulp contains

many seeds. The fruits are eaten raw or used for

juice, icecream or desserts. Soursop originated in

northern South America or the Caribbean and is

now widely cultivated around the tropics and in Flor-

ida. A closely related fruit is the custard apple

(Annona reticulata).

Sugar Apple or Sweetsop (

Annona squamosa

)

0006 This smaller fruited Annona is also of Caribbean

origin, it is cultivated around the tropics and is gener-

ally eaten raw rather than processed.

0007 Several other species of Annona are used locally,

for example, the wild soursop or araticum (Annona

montana).

Cherimoya (

Annona cherimolia

)

0008 A native of Andean valleys of Ecuador and Peru. The

roundish, heart-shaped, green fruits are most popular

in Peru and are said to be the tastiest of all the Anno-

nas. The fruit thrives only at higher altitudes.

Biriba

(

Rollinia mucosa

)

0009 Although this bright yellow fruit belongs to a differ-

ent genus, its fruit is similar to the Annonas and can

be up to 14  16 cm weighing 1.3 kg, although 5-kg

fruits have been reported. This species possibly ori-

ginated in the upper Amazon in the region of the

Peru–Brazil border and is widely cultivated in gardens

throughout central America, the Caribbean, and

Amazonia for its delicious pulp, which is eaten raw.

Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family)

0010 This family contains two little-known but locally

important fruits sorva (Couma utilis) and mangaba

(Hancornia speciosa). Sorva is a small round berry

with a delicious sweet pulp and many seeds. It is eaten

raw. This and other species of Couma are an import-

ant source of latex used for chewing gum. Mangaba

also produces a berry that is usually used in icecream

and desserts, and the tree is also a source of latex.

Sorva is a native of Central America and mangaba of

northeastern Brazil, but both species are cultivated

throughout Brazil.

Arecaceae (Palm Family)

0011Many of the Central and South American palms have

edible fruits of considerable local importance as fruit

and sources of various types of oils. Six of the most

commonly used species are mentioned below.

Assai or Ac¸ai (

Euterpe oleracea

)

0012This multi-stemmed palm is much cultivated in east-

ern Amazonia for its fruit and as a source of heart-

of-palm. The trees produce three to eight branches of

fruit a year. The outer pulp of the small round fruits is

used to make a drink or icecream flavor. It is colored

dark purple and is an important supplement to the

nutrition of local people. It has a wide range from

Colombia and Ecuador to eastern Amazonian Brazil.

Several other species of Euterpe are used locally,

especially E. edulis in the upper Amazon in Peru.

Bacaba (

Oenocarpus bacaba

)

0013The small round fruits of this Amazonian palm are

used in a similar way to assai to make a purple juice

that is usually mixed with cassava (Manihot) flour.

Buritı

(

Mauritia flexuosa

)

0014This large fan-leafed palm of swampy places in Ama-

zonia is called aguaje in Peru and moriche in Vene-

zuela. The edible fruit is used in all Amazon countries.

It is ovoid and covered with small, dark-red, rhom-

boid scales. Under the scaly exterior is a thin yellow

pulp that is often used in icecreams and desserts and is

rich in provitamin A.

Pataua

(

Jessenia batua

)

0015The pulp of the fruit of this palm of the upper

Amazon in Peru and Colombia is also used to make

a beverage similar to that of assai and bacaba. The

kernel contains an excellent highly unsaturated oil

similar to that of the olive.

Peach Palm (

Bactris gasipaes

)

0016This is probably the most important of all edible

species of American palms. A native of the Andean

foothills of Bolivia and Peru, it was spread as far as

Central America and the Guianas in pre-Colombian

times. The yellow- to red- or orange-colored fruits are

much used by indigenous and local peoples. The fruits

are boiled and the thick, starchy pulp eaten with salt

or honey, and it is often compared with the chestnut

FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Fruits of Central and South America 2811

in consistency and flavor. Many other local food

preparations and recipes use the peach palm. It is

most nutritious, containing both proteins and carbo-

hydrates as well as provitamin A and minerals. Other

names for this palm are peijibaye (Central America),

pupunha (Brazil), chontaduro (Colombia), pijuayo

(Peru), and pijiguao (Venezuela).

Tucuma

(

Astrocaryum aculeatum

and

A. vulgare

)

0017 The spiny trunked tucuma

s have an ellipsoid fruit

with an orangish pulp that is rich in provitamin A.

The fruits are usually eaten raw. Both species are

native to the Amazon region where they are widely

used and often found in markets.

Bombaccaceae (Kapok-tree Family)

Sapote (

Quararibea cordata

)

0018 This is a little-known, but tasty fruit of the upper

Amazon around the border of Peru and Brazil. This

region is the origin of several Amazonian fruit.

The local name sapote or sapota is confusing, because

fruits of the Sapotaceae family have the same name.

The large irregular-shaped fruit 7–15  5–15 cm has a

persistent ring around its base formed from the sepals.

The thick orange-colored pulp is eaten raw or in

drinks. The bitter outer rind must be removed before

eating. The sapote trees can reach heights of 45 m.

Bromeliaceae (Pineapple Family)

Pineapple (

Ananas comosus

)

0019 The pineapple is probably the best-known and most

widely cultivated fruit of South American origin.

Unlikemostfruitdescribedhere, itisashortherbaceous

plant. The fruit is produced at the center of the circle of

long, narrow, spiny leaves. The pineapple originated in

southwestern Brazil and possibly eastern Paraguay, but

was carried from there all over the American tropics

before Columbus. Many varieties have been bred from

the original wild species and spread around the world.

The fruit isformed bythe fusionof ovariesand bractsto

the axis of the inflorescence, and is technically termed a

syncarp. Pineapples are an important source of provi-

taminAandvitaminsB,B

,andCaswellastheminerals

iron, potassium, and calcium. The largest producer of

this fruit is now Hawaii.

Caricaceae (Papaya Family)

Papaya (

Carica papaya

)

0020 Another popular and well-known fruit of South Ameri-

can origin is the papaya. It probably originated in

Central America and was spread southwards into the

Andes and entered Amazonia in preColombian times.

The fruit is a large berry, filled with black seeds at the

center. Papaya trees are usually either male or female,

and only the female trees bear fruit (hermaphrodite

varieties do occur but are rare). The early travelers to

South America soon distributed this delicious and nu-

tritious fruit around the world. The trees are fast-grow-

ing and short-lived and produce fruit continuously

within a year of sowing the seed. The fruit is a source

of provitamin A and vitamins B, B

, and C, and con-

tains the enzyme papain, which helps the digestion of

foods and is used as a meat tenderizer. The papaya is

grown commercially around the tropics.

Caryocaraceae (Souari Family)

Piqui (

Caryocar brasiliense

)

0021The fruit of this low tree of the savanna (cerrado) of

Central Brazil is very popular locally and is still

mostly harvested from wild trees. The unusual tasting

pulp of the fruit is cooked with rice or beans. It is also

used to prepare a sweet liqueur. The kernel contains

an oil used in cooking and for skin care. The Ama-

zonian species (C. villosum) is a much larger tree, the

fruit of which is used in the same way.

Chrysobalanaceae (Cocoa Plum Family)

Cocoa Plum (

Chrysobalanus icaco

)

0022This is a shrub or small tree of coastal sand dunes

around the coasts of central and South America and

the Caribbean and in similar habitats in Africa. The

small plum-like fruit is either eaten raw or, in Venezuela

and Colombia, bottled in syrup and is called icacos.

0023Several other species of this family are used locally

and planted in house gardens, especially pajura

(Couepia bracteosa), a native of the Guianas and

Amazonia, marirana (Couepia subcordata), a native

of Peruvian Amazonia, and oiti-coro (Couepia rufa),

a native of the Atlantic coastal forests of eastern

Brazil. These species of Couepia have a large fruit

with an oily pulp with an agreeable odor.

Clusiaceae (Mangosteen Family)

Mamey Apple (

Mamea americana

)

0024A fruit of Central American or Caribbean origin that

has now been distributed around the tropics. The

large brown fruit can be up to 18 cm in diameter in

some varieties. The orange-colored pulp is usually

used in compotes and other desserts as well as in a

2812 FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Fruits of Central and South America

wide range of liqueurs. This fruit is grown for local

use in gardens and small orchards.

Bacuri (

Platonia insignis

)

0025 This most delicious of Amazonian fruits originated in

eastern Amazonia. The attractive flowers are about

7 cm long with rose-colored petals and produce a

large ovoid berry up to 15 cm in diameter. The pulp

is eaten raw or used in icecreams, desserts, and fruit

drinks. Some varieties are sweet and preferred for

eating, and others quite acid and generally processed.

0026 Another genus of Clusiaceae, Rheedia, has several

species (e.g., R. macrophylla) that produce similar

but smaller fruits than bacuri and are generally

known as bacupari in Brazilian Amazonia.

Humiriaceae (Humiria Family)

Uchi (

Endlopleura uchi

)

0027 The uchi is a large tree of eastern and central Ama-

zonia. Fruits are generally collected from wild trees

after they have fallen from the tree, and are very

popular with local people, especially in Para

State,

Brazil. The ellipsoid fruit has an unusual but agree-

able taste and is eaten raw, or mixed with cassava

flour and also used for icecreams, liqueurs, and sweet

pastes. The kernel contains an oil similar in compos-

ition to olive oil that is used in cooking.

Icacinaceae (Icacina Family)

Umari (

Poraqueiba sericea

)

0028 This low tree is a native of Central and Western

Amazonia. The pulp of the plum-like fruit is highly

desired by local peoples, and it is always in the

markets of Iquitos, Peru and Manaus, Brazil. The

pulp has a peculiar smell and flavor that some people

find delicious and others repugnant, and is definitely

an acquired taste.

Lauraceae (Laurel Family)

Avocado (

Persea americana

)

0029 The avocado is of Mexican and Central American

origin, but is now planted around the tropics. This

well-known fruit is used as a savory in most places,

but is used in sweet drinks and desserts in Brazil. The

pulp of the fruit is oily and nutritious and rich in

minerals and vitamins. There are three races of

avocado recognized: Mexican, Guatemalan, and West

Indian. There are also a wide range of cultivars of this

important fruit. The name avocado is derived from its

Aztec name: ahuacatl. California, Florida, Israel, and

South Africaare now important commercial producers

of avocados.

Leguminosae (Bean Family)

Inga (

Inga edulis

and Other Species)

0030Inga is a large South and Central American genus

with over 300 species. Several species produce pods

with seeds surrounded by a woolly, slightly juicy

edible pulp. The most widespread and most culti-

vated species is Inga edulis, which is now so dispersed

that its exact area of origin is uncertain. Inga capitata

has a much thicker and woody pod and is a native of

the Guianas and Eastern Amazonia. The fruits of

many other species of Inga are used locally through-

out tropical America. The pulp is eaten raw, and the

seeds are spat out.

Malpighiaceae (Barbados Cherry Family)

Acerola or Barbados Cherry (

Malpighia punicifolia

)

0031This small shrub or tree originated in northern South

America or Central America and is widely distributed

throughout the Caribbean. The cherry-sized fruits are

colored orangish red to scarlet, are slightly three-

lobed, and have three stones inside the fleshy pulp.

The fruits are one of the richest known sources of

vitamin C. They are eaten raw or used in juices,

icecreams, jams, and desserts. The acerola is now

widely cultivated around the tropics as a source of

vitamin C and in recent years has been grown com-

mercially. It is rivaled only by camu-camu (see below)

for its content of vitamin C. Consumption of only

four fruits meets the daily requirement of vitamin C.

Ciruela or False-coffee (

Bunchosia glandulosa

)

0032This is a small shrub or tree that produces asymmetric

ellipsoid, orange- to scarlet-colored fruits. It is widely

cultivated in Central America, the Caribbean, and

western South America but is little known elsewhere.

The fruits are sometimes eaten raw but more generally

made into a sweet paste similar to that of the guava.

Moraceae (Fig Family)

Uvilla (

Pourouma cecropiifolia

)

0033This fast-growing, short-lived tree is a native of Ama-

zonian Peru, where the grape-like fruit is much used by

indigenous peoples. More recently, it has been intro-

duced to Brazil and throughout the Amazon region.

FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Fruits of Central and South America 2813

The small, round fruits are borne in clusters and have a

tasty sweet pulp. In Brazil, this fruit is called mapati.

Myrtaceae (Myrtle Family)

0034 Perhaps the greatest variety of delicious fruits of trop-

ical America come from the myrtle or guava family.

Guava (

Psidium guajava

)

0035 The guava is a small tree with tortuous branches and a

smooth trunk. The fruit is a berry with a fleshy yellow

or pink pulp and many seeds near the center. Many

different varieties have been developed that vary in

color, size and in shape from round to ovoid to pear-

shaped. The fruit is often used to make guava paste,

but is frequently eaten raw or used for juice or fruit

salads. It is rich in provitamin A and vitamins B and C.

The guava has been introduced for commercial use to

many places in the world, such as Hawaii, where it has

become naturalized and an invasive weed.

0036 Several other species of Psidium are cultivated for

the edible aromatic fruits especially the arac¸a

(Psi-

dium guineensis) and the arac¸a-pera (Psidium acutan-

gulum). The latter species has unusual quadrangular

branches. Both are natives of South America and are

widely cultivated.

Feijoa (

Feijoa sellowana

)

0037 The fruits of this small tree are similar in taste to the

guava but usually larger and colored green. Feijoa is

planted both for its fruit and for its attractive flowers

with white petals and a mass of purple stamens. This

species is native in the savannas of Paraguay and

southern Brazil. It is often grown in subtropical

regions such as California and is being strongly

marketed by New Zealand.

Arac¸ a-boi (

Eugenia stipitata

)

0038 This little-known fruit is a native of the upper

Amazon and is probably the most aromatic of all

fruits in the myrtle family. The round, yellow fruits

can be as large as 12 cm in diameter and weigh 750 g.

This very acidic fruit is generally used for its juice

mixed with sugar, rather than eaten raw.

Jabuticaba (

Myrciaria cauliflora

)

0039 One of the most popular of all fruits in southern

Brazil, the jabuticaba is a native of the Atlantic

coastal rainforests. The perfumed flowers followed

by the fruits are borne in huge quantities all along

the trunk and branches of these low trees. The fruits

are round and colored dark purple when mature.

Many different varieties with fruits of different sizes

have been developed. The fruit is delicious raw and is

also used in jams and desserts. Local people make a

tasty liqueur from the jabuticaba. Most gardens in

southeastern Brazil have a tree where there is always

great competition between the owners and birds to

pick the fruits.

Camu-camu (

Myrciaria dubia

)

0040This has only recently been brought to the market and

is a native of periodically flooded river banks of the

northwestern Amazon. The cherry-sized fruits are

borne in great quantities and are reddish when

young, maturing dark purple. The fleshy pulp is ex-

tremely rich in vitamin C having about 30 times more

per gram than citrus. This fruit is used principally for

its juice, in icecreams and other desserts. It is very

popular in Peru and is still harvested largely from

wild trees along the banks of rivers and lakes.

Cayenne Cherry or Pitanga (

Eugenia uniflora

)

0041This shrub or small tree bears berries of 2–3cm in

diameter that are deeply divided into seven to 10

longitudinal segments. The scarlet fruits are rich in

vitamin C and are eaten raw or in juices, jams, and

icecreams. The pitanga is native to South America

and is widely cultivated in Florida, Hawaii, Central

America, and the Caribbean and in many other places

around the tropics, especially in the Philippines. It is

now grown commercially in a few places.

Passifloraceae (Passion Flower Family)

Passion Fruit (

Passiflora edulis

)

0042Passion fruits are borne on vines and are one of the

best known and most commonly used fruits of trop-

ical American origin. Since they have been widely

cultivated throughout the region and elsewhere,

many varieties exist. The name passion flower is

derived from the cross-like structure of the stigmas

emerging from the center of the flowers, and the ring

of appendages of the corona that have been likened to

the crown of thorns of Christ.

0043The round to ovoid fruits are usually yellow or

purple and contain many seeds surrounded by a gel-

atinous and tasty pulp. This highly aromatic pulp is

extremely popular for juices, icecreams, desserts, and

drinks and in numerous other recipes. Passion fruits

are a good source of provitamin A. They are often

used medicinally as a calmant or sedative.

0044Several of the other over 400 species of Passiflora

have edible fruits and are widely cultivated for

example P. nitida. Passion fruits are cultivated com-

mercially around the tropical and subtropical world.

Granadilla (

Passiflora quandrangularis

)

0045This is a more robust vine than the true passion fruit

and has quandrangular stems that are winged. The

2814 FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Fruits of Central and South America

fruits are ovoid and larger, up to 30 15 cm in size,

and can weigh 2–3 kg. This fruit is cultivated on a

large scale in Colombia and the northwest of Ama-

zonia, and is not known from the wild, so its exact

place of origin is uncertain. Unlike the passion fruit, it

is the pulpy mesocarp rather than the mass around the

seeds that is eaten. It is often served as a savory rather

than a sweet, but it is also used for juices, icecreams,

and other desserts.

Rubiaceae (Coffee Family)

Genipap (

Genipa americana

)

0046 The genipap is a tree up to 15 m tall and is now

widely distributed throughout Central and South

America and the Caribbean. It probably originated

in northern South America but was widely distributed

by native peoples in preColombian times. The berry is

ovoid, 8–12 7–9 cm in size, and weighs 200–400 g.

The many seeds are surrounded by a fleshy pulp. The

unusual smell and taste make it an acquired taste, but it

is nevertheless a very popular fruit with local peoples

for drinks and sweets. The fruits must be ripe and soft

before eating. The green fruits are the principal source

of a black dye used for cloth, fibers, and body paint,

and this accounts for the movement of this species over

such a wide range by indigenous peoples.

Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family)

Mamoncillo or Limoncillo (

Melicoccus bijugatus

)

0047 This 12–14-cm-high tree produces clusters of small

round to ellipsoid fruits with a hard shell. The seeds

are surrounded by a juicy and gelatinous pulp, which

is eaten and the seeds spat out. This is a native of

northern South America and widely cultivated in

Florida the Caribbean and Central America. It is

often used as a shade tree in cities. In Brazil, much

more commonly cultivated is the pitomba (Talisia

esculenta), which has a similar and equally delicious

fruit and is a native of western Amazonia.

Sapotaceae (Sapodilla Family)

0048 This is another plant family that has produced a large

number of different edible fruits such as the caimito

and the sapota.

Caimito or Abiu (

Pouteria caimito

)

0049 This small tree produces yellow round to elongate-

ellipsoid fruit up to 10 cm long. It is native to Ama-

zonia and is cultivated and wild throughout the

region. The one to four black seeds are surrounded

by a delicious edible pulp. The rind contains a white

sticky latex that can adhere unpleasantly to the lips

when this fruit is eaten. Many varieties have been

developed. Many other species of Pouteria are har-

vested from wild trees throughout Amazonia and are

known as abiurana in Brazil. The ucuqui (Pouteria

ucuqui) is a large tree, the fruits of which are very

popular in northwestern Amazonian Brazil. The pulp

is often mixed with cassava flour to make a porridge-

like food.

Sapota or Sapodilla (

Manilkara sapota

)

0050This is the best-known and most widely cultivated

fruit from the Sapotaceae. The trees reach 15–20 m

in height and bear round brownish and scaly berries.

The one to four flattened seeds are surrounded by a

sweet soft pulp that is eaten raw. This species origin-

ated in Mexico or Central America and is now

cultivated around the tropics. The trunk of this tree

is also tapped for its chicle-type latex that is used in

chewing gum.

Star Apple (

Chrysophyllum cainito

)

0051A tree up to 15 m in height with a round fruit 7–10 cm

in diameter. When cut in half, the three to 10 seeds

appear in a star-like formation, hence the name.

These fruits have a bitter white latex in the skin and

a pleasant, sweet tasting pulp. The star-apple is a

native of the Greater Antilles but is widely cultivated

in Central America and elsewhere.

Solanaceae (Nightshade Family)

0052The Solanaceae of South America have given rise to

many plants of extreme economic importance such as

potatoes, tomatoes, and bell and capsicum peppers.

The latter three are technically fruit, but are used as

vegetables and are not discussed further. Several

species of Solanum are gradually being domesticated

for their edible fruit.

Naranjilla (

Solanum quitoense

)

0053This fast-growing, short-lived subshrub is native to

the Andes and grows at 700–2000 m altitude. The

orange, round fruits have a greenish pulp around the

numerous seeds. The pulp is used mainly as a vitamin-

rich drink. It is most popular in Colombia and Ecua-

dor, where it is a native but has also been introduced

to Central America. Closely related to this species is

the lowland cocona, known in Brazil as cubiu (Sola-

num sessiliflorum), which is a much more widely

distributed domesticate than the naranjilla. The

cocona berries are larger than those of the naranjilla

and are used for juice, as a vegetable, and in salads.

FRUITS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES/Fruits of Central and South America 2815

Sterculiaceae (Cacau Family)

Cacau (

Theobroma cacao

)

0054 This species is well known, as the seeds are the source

of chocolate. The sweet, aromatic pulp around the

seeds is eaten by local peoples. The exact origin of the

cacau is uncertain, since it was so widespread in pre-

Colombian times, but it possibly came from north-

western Amazonia. The large fruits are borne on the

trunk and branches of the trees. They are either ellips-

oid or round. The rounder fruits are termed the criolo

variety. The thick hard outer shell is yellow or

red. The edible pulp surrounds 20–40 round seeds

arranged in five rows.

Cupuac¸ u

(

Theobroma grandiflorum

)

0055 This species of the cacau genus is cultivated for the

aromatic pulp of its most delicious fruits. The small

trees produce large ellipsoid football-like fruit 12–25

 10–12 cm that can weigh up to 1.5 kg. The exterior

has a rust colored scaly covering. Inside, the 20–50

seeds are in five rows and adhere strongly to the thick

pulp. The pulp is very popular in Brazil as an ice-

cream flavor and for other sweets. The seeds have

recently started being used to make cupulate, which

tastes much like chocolate but has a different fatty

acid profile. The tree is a native of eastern Amazonia,

where the fruits are also harvested from wild trees.

0056 The fruits of several other species of Theobroma are

used locally for the pulp, especially the cacau sacha (T.

speciosum) in Peru. Theobroma bicolor or macambo

is commonly cultivated by indigenous peoples of the

upper Amazon in Peru for the flat, disc-like seeds,

which are roasted and eaten like nuts. This species is

widely cultivated from Mexico to Brazil.

See also: Cocoa: Chemistry of Processing; Production,

Products, and Use; Fruits of Tropical Climates:

Commercial and Dietary Importance; Fruits of the

Sapindaceae; Fruits of the Sapotaceae; Lesser-known

Fruits of Africa; Lesser-known Fruits of Asia