Chrysophyllum cainito

Last updated

Chrysophyllum cainito
Chrusophyllum cainito.jpg
Fruit
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Chrysophyllum
Species:
C. cainito
Binomial name
Chrysophyllum cainito
Synonyms [2]
  • Cainito pomiferum Tussac
  • Chrysophyllum bonplandii Klotzsch ex Miq.
  • Chrysophyllum caeruleum Jacq.
  • Chrysophyllum jamaicense Jacq.
  • Chrysophyllum maliforme L.
  • Chrysophyllum monopyrenum Spreng.
  • Chrysophyllum ottonis Klotzsch ex Miq.

Chrysophyllum cainito is a tropical tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is native to the Isthmus of Panama, where it was domesticated. [3] It has spread to the Greater Antilles and the West Indies and is now grown throughout the tropics, including Southeast Asia. [4] It grows rapidly and reaches 20 meters in height.

Contents

Name

The common names cainito and caimito likely come from the Mayan words cab (juice), im (breast), and vitis (sap), via Spanish. [5] Star apple is a common name. [6] It is also known as the purple apple.[ citation needed ]

Description

Tree

The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple oval, entire, 5–15 cm long; the underside shines with a golden color when seen from a distance. The tiny flowers are purplish white and have a sweet fragrant smell. The tree is also hermaphroditic (self-fertile). It produces a strong odor.

Fruit

The fruit is globose and typically measures from 2 to 3 inches in diameter. [7] When ripe, it usually has purple skin with a faint green area appearing around the calyx. A radiating star pattern is visible in the pulp. Greenish-white and yellow-fruited cultivars are sometimes available. The skin is rich in latex, and both it and the rind are not edible. The flattened seeds are light brown and hard. It is a seasonal fruit bearing tree.[ citation needed ]

The fruits are used as a fresh dessert fruit; it is sweet and often served chilled. The fruit also exists in three colors, dark purple, greenish brown and yellow. The purple fruit has a denser skin and texture while the greenish brown fruit has a thin skin and a more liquid pulp; the yellow variety is less common.[ citation needed ]

A number of related species, also called star apples, are grown in Africa including Gambeya albida and G. africana . [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mango</span> Species of fruit

A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree Mangifera indica. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. M. indica has been cultivated in South and Southeast Asia since ancient times resulting in two types of modern mango cultivars: the "Indian type" and the "Southeast Asian type". Other species in the genus Mangifera also produce edible fruits that are also called "mangoes", the majority of which are found in the Malesian ecoregion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papaya</span> Species of tropical fruit plant

The papaya, papaw, or pawpaw is the plant species Carica papaya, one of the 21 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae, and also the name of its fruit. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and Central America. It is grown in several countries in regions with a tropical climate. In 2022, India produced 38% of the world's supply of papayas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carambola</span> Fruit

Carambola, also known as star fruit, is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola, a species of tree native to tropical Southeast Asia. The edible fruit has distinctive ridges running down its sides. When cut in cross-section, it resembles a star, giving it the name of star fruit. The entire fruit is edible, usually raw, and may be cooked or made into relishes, preserves, garnish, and juices. It is commonly consumed in Southeast Asia, South Asia, the South Pacific, Micronesia, parts of East Asia, the United States, parts of Latin America, and the Caribbean. The tree is cultivated throughout tropical areas of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Persimmon</span> Edible fruit

The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros. The most widely cultivated of these is the kaki persimmon, Diospyros kaki – Diospyros is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-persimmon species of the genus are grown for ebony timber. In 2022, China produced 77% of the world total of persimmons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melon</span> Type of fruit

A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. It can also specifically refer to Cucumis melo, commonly known as the "true melon" or simply "melon". The term "melon" can apply to both the plant and its fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a "pepo". The word melon derives from Latin melopepo, which is the latinization of the Greek μηλοπέπων (mēlopepōn), meaning "melon", itself a compound of μῆλον (mēlon), "apple", treefruit " and πέπων (pepōn), amongst others "a kind of gourd or melon". Many different cultivars have been produced, particularly of the true melon, such as the cantaloupe and honeydew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guava</span> Tropical fruit

Guava is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava Psidium guajava is a small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The name guava is also given to some other species in the genus Psidium such as strawberry guava and to the pineapple guava, Feijoa sellowiana. In 2019, 55 million tonnes of guavas were produced worldwide, led by India with 45% of the total. Botanically, guavas are berries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamarind</span> Leguminous tree bearing edible fruit

Tamarind is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae.

<i>Passiflora edulis</i> Species of flowering plant in the passion flower family

Passiflora edulis, commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to the region of southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its sweet, seedy fruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackfruit</span> Species of plant

The jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as 55 kg in weight, 90 cm in length, and 50 cm (20 in) in diameter. A mature jackfruit tree produces some 200 fruits per year, with older trees bearing up to 500 fruits in a year. The jackfruit is a multiple fruit composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers, and the fleshy petals of the unripe fruit are eaten.

<i>Citrus limetta</i> Citrus fruit and plant

Citrus limetta, alternatively considered to be a cultivar of Citrus limon, C. limon 'Limetta', is a species of citrus, commonly known as mousami, musami, mosambi, sweet lime, sweet lemon, and sweet limetta, it is a member of the sweet lemons. It is small and round like a common lime in shape. It is a cross between the citron and a bitter orange.

<i>Artocarpus integer</i> Asian tree related to breadfruit and jackfruit

Artocarpus integer, commonly known as chempedak or cempedak, is a species of tree in the family Moraceae, in the same genus as breadfruit and jackfruit. It is native to Southeast Asia. Cempedak is an important crop in Malaysia and is also popularly cultivated in southern Thailand and parts of Indonesia, and has the potential to be utilized in other areas. It is currently limited in range to Southeast Asia, with some trees in Australia and Hawaii.

<i>Chrysophyllum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Chrysophyllum is a group of trees in the Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753.

<i>Ziziphus mauritiana</i> Species of plant

Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinee apple, ber and dunks is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related Chinese jujube, but whereas Z. jujuba prefers temperate climates, Z. mauritiana is tropical to subtropical.

<i>Spondias purpurea</i> Species of plant

Spondias purpura is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico to northern Colombia and the southwest Caribbean Islands. It has also been introduced to and naturalized to other parts of the American tropics, Southeast Asia, and West Africa. It is commonly known as jocote, which derives from the Nahuatl word xocotl, meaning any kind of sour or acidic fruit. Other common names include red mombin, Spanish plum, purple mombin, Jamaica plum, and hog plum.

<i>Spondias mombin</i> Species of tree

Spondias mombin, also known as yellow mombin, hog plum, amra or cajazeira, is a species of tree and flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to the tropical Americas, including the West Indies. The tree was introduced by the Portuguese in South Asia in the beginning of the 17th century. It has been naturalized in parts of Africa, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, The Bahamas, Indonesia, and other Caribbean islands. It is rarely cultivated except in parts of the Brazilian Northeast.

<i>Pouteria caimito</i> Species of plant

Pouteria caimito, the abiu, is a tropical fruit tree originating in the Amazonian region of South America, and this type of fruit can also be found in the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia. It grows to an average of 10 metres high, with ovoid fruits. The inside of the fruit is translucent and white. It has a creamy and jelly-like texture with a taste resembling caramel custard.

<i>Baccaurea motleyana</i> Species of tree

Baccaurea motleyana is a species of fruit and fruit tree which grows wild in parts of Southeast Asia and is cultivated for its fruit in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.

<i>Uapaca kirkiana</i> Species of fruit and plant

Uapaca kirkiana, the sugar plum or mahobohobo, is a species of dioecious plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is native to the southern Afrotropics, where it occurs in well-watered miombo woodlands. Within range it is one of the most popular wild fruits. It is rarely cultivated but trees are left when land is being cleared. Still a traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable land care.

<i>Gambeya albida</i> Species of tree

Gambeya albida, commonly known as white star apple, is a forest fruit tree commonly found throughout tropical Africa. It is closely related to the African star apple which is also common throughout West Africa. Some schools of thought feel that they may just be a variety of the same species. Also in the family is the purple star apple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dougherty (apple)</span> Apple cultivar

'Dougherty' was a New Zealand cultivar of domesticated apple, which was grown mainly for export to the United Kingdom, from which a red coloured mutation is marketed today as 'Red Dougherty'. 'Dougherty' produces medium-sized fruits in late season, the skin background is greenish-yellow and flushed with some red. The flesh is yellowish with a sweet flavour.

References

  1. Condit, R. (2022). "Chrysophyllum cainito". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T197735752A197789299. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Chrysophyllum cainito". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  3. Petersen, Jennifer J.; Parker, Ingrid M.; Potter, Daniel (March 2014). "Domestication of the neotropical tree Chrysophyllum cainito from a geographically limited yet genetically diverse gene pool in Panama". Ecology and Evolution. 4 (5): 539–553. doi:10.1002/ece3.948. ISSN   2045-7758. PMC   4098135 . PMID   25035796.
  4. ”Chrysophyllum cainito” at AgroForestryTree Database at http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=524 Archived 2017-11-07 at the Wayback Machine .
  5. Suárez Molina, Victor (1996). Güémez Pineda, Miguel (ed.). El español que se habla en Yucatán[The Spanish spoken in Yucatan] (in Spanish) (3 ed.). Mérida: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. p. 112. ISBN   9687556226. OL   18120697M.
  6. "Chrysophyllum cainito L." Flora and Fauna Web, Government of Singapore. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  7. Boning, Charles R. (2006). Florida's Best Fruiting Plants: Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc. p. 199. ISBN   1561643726.
  8. National Research Council (2008-01-25). "Star Apples". Lost Crops of Africa: Volume III: Fruits. Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3. National Academies Press. ISBN   978-0-309-10596-5. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2008-07-17.