Muntingia | |
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Flower close-up. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malvales |
Family: | Muntingiaceae |
Genus: | Muntingia L. |
Species: | M. calabura |
Binomial name | |
Muntingia calabura | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Muntingia is a genus of plants in the family Muntingiaceae, comprising only one species, Muntingia calabura, [2] [3] and was named in honour of Abraham Munting. It is native to the Neotropics, from Mexico south to Bolivia and Argentina, with edible fruit, and has been widely introduced in other tropical areas.
Muntingia calabura is a shrub or tree that grows fast up between 7.5 to 12 m tall with spreading branches. [4] The leaves are alternate, distichous, oblong or lanceolate, 4–15 cm long and 1–6 cm wide, with toothed margin and covered in short hairs. [4] [5] [6]
The flowers are small (up to 3 cm wide), solitary or in inflorescences of two or three flowers, with five lanceolate sepals, hairy, five obovate white petals, many stamens with yellow anthers, and a smooth ovoid ovary. [4] [5] [6] The flowers last only one day, their petals drop in the afternoon. [3]
Its fruit is an edible berry with about 1.5 cm wide in diameter and smooth, thin skin; they are green when unripe turning into red when they are mature. [4] [5] [3] Its pulp is light-brown and juicy, with very fine seeds; the pulp tastes like fig. [3]
M. calabura is native to southern Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and western South America south to Bolivia and Argentina. [2] [4] [7] It is present in tropical climate in disturbed lowland areas from sea level to 1000 m of elevation. [2] [5] In South India, it is seen in the areas adjacent to the Western Ghat.
This species colonizes disturbed habitats in tropical lowland areas, becoming part of the secondary vegetation, as well as gallery forests. [4] [8] It thrives in poor soil, able to tolerate acidic and alkaline conditions and drought, but doesn't grow in saline conditions. [4]
The seeds are dispersed by birds and fruit bats. [4]
Although native to tropical America, M. calabura has been introduced in Southeast Asia and naturalized there and in other tropical parts of the world. [2] [6] [9]
Common names include:
M. calabura is planted as a source of timber and fuel. Its soft wood used for rural construction, while the bark is fibrous and used for making ropes. [2] [8]
The fruits are edible and in some cases sold in markets, as they can be eaten raw or processed as jam; leaves can be used for making tea. [4] [8] Also, traditional medicinal uses have been reported for the leaves (headaches, prostate problems, reduce gastric ulcers), bark (antiseptic), flowers (antiseptic, reduce swelling, antispasmodic), and fruits (respiratory problems; antidiarrheic). [2] [8] [12]
It is said to help diabetic patients. A small reduction was recorded in patients' blood sugar levels after consumption [ citation needed ].
It is planted as an ornamental species, [8] for shade, and also because the flowers are a source of nectar and pollen for the beekeeping industry. [8]
The tree is also planted along river banks in Brazil, as fallen fruits attract fish. [2]
M. calabura has a potential as a useful species for restoration of disturbed areas and stopping soil erosion. [8] It also offers shelter for wildlife, as it is a source of food for about 60 species of birds and mammals. [8]
M. calabura can be propagated from seed, seedlings, or cuttings. [8] In Costa Rica, seeds set in the wet season, but require conditions of light and temperature found in forest gaps. [13] In a test where seeds were placed in wet paper towel at 25 °C, a total of 44% of seeds germinated in white light, while none germinated in dark conditions. [13]
Sri Lankan author Carl Muller chose this tree as the title for his first novel, The Jam Fruit Tree. In the novel, the tree represents the Burgher community of Sri Lanka, "a race of fun-loving, hardy people, much like the jam fruit tree which simply refuses to be contained or destroyed." [14] The book won the Gratiaen Prize for the best published work in the English language in 1993.
Dimocarpus longan, commonly known as the longan and dragon's eye, is a tropical tree species that produces edible fruit. It is one of the better-known tropical members of the soapberry family Sapindaceae, to which the lychee and rambutan also belong. The fruit of the longan is similar to that of the lychee, but less aromatic in taste. It is native to tropical Asia and China.
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.
Genipa americana is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
Elaeagnus umbellata is known as Japanese silverberry, umbellata oleaster, autumn olive, autumn elaeagnus, spreading oleaster, autumnberry, or autumn berry. The species is indigenous to eastern Asia and ranges from the Himalayas eastwards to Japan. It is a hardy, aggressive invasive species able to readily colonize barren land, becoming a troublesome plant in the central and northeastern United States and Europe.
Dovyalis caffra the Umkokola, Kei apple, Kayaba, Kai apple, or Kau apple, is a small to medium-sized tree, native to southern Africa. Its distribution extends from the Kei River in the south, from which the common name derives, northwards along the eastern side of the continent to Tanzania. The ripe fruits are tasty, reminiscent of a small apple.
Averrhoa carambola is a species of tree in the family Oxalidaceae native to tropical Southeast Asia; it has a number of common names, including carambola, star fruit and five-corner. It is a small tree or shrub that grows 5 to 12 m tall, with rose to red-purple flowers. The flowers are small and bell-shaped, with five petals that have whitish edges. The flowers are often produced year round under tropical conditions. The tree is cultivated in tropical and semitropical regions for its edible fruits.
Syzygium cumini, commonly known as Malabar plum, Java plum, black plum, jamun, jaman, jambul, or jambolan, is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae, and favored for its fruit, timber, and ornamental value. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Andaman Islands. It can reach heights of up to 30 metres (98 ft) and can live more than 100 years. A rapidly growing plant, it is considered an invasive species in many world regions.
Arbutus unedo, commonly known as strawberry tree, or chorleywood in the United Kingdom, is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin and Western Europe. The tree is well known for its fruits, the arbutus berry, which bear some resemblance to the strawberry, hence the common name strawberry tree. However, it is not closely related to true strawberries of the genus Fragaria.
Eugenia uniflora, the pitanga, Suriname cherry, Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry, cerisier carré, monkimonki kersie,ñangapirí, or shimarucu is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to tropical South America’s east coast, ranging from Suriname, French Guiana to southern Brazil, as well as Uruguay and parts of Paraguay and Argentina. It is often used in gardens as a hedge or screen. The tree was introduced to Bermuda for ornamental purposes but is now out of control and listed as an invasive species. The tree has also been introduced to Florida.
Cornus mas, commonly known as cornel, is a species of shrub or small tree in the dogwood family Cornaceae native to Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Southwestern Asia.
The pale-billed flowerpecker or Tickell's flowerpecker is a tiny bird that feeds on nectar and berries, found in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and western Myanmar. The bird is common especially in urban gardens with berry bearing trees. They have a rapid chipping call and the pinkish curved beak separates it from other species in the region.
Psidium cattleyanum , commonly known as Cattley guava, strawberry guava or cherry guava, is a small tree in the Myrtaceae (myrtle) family. The species is named in honour of English horticulturist William Cattley. Its genus name Psidium comes from the Latin psidion, or "armlet." The red-fruited variety, P. cattleyanum var. cattleyanum, is commonly known as purple guava, red cattley guava, red strawberry guava and red cherry guava. The yellow-fruited variety, P. cattleyanum var. littorale is variously known as yellow cattley guava, yellow strawberry guava, yellow cherry guava, lemon guava and in Hawaii as waiawī. Although P. cattleyanum has select economic uses, it is considered the most invasive plant in Hawaii.
Jabuticaba, also spelled Jaboticaba, is the edible fruit of the jabuticabeira or Brazilian grapetree. The purplish-black, white-pulped fruit grows directly on the trunk of the tree, making it an example of 'cauliflory'. It is eaten raw or used to make jellies, jams, juice or wine. The tree, of the family Myrtaceae, is native to the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Goiás and São Paulo in Brazil. Related species in the genus Myrciaria, often referred to by the same common names, are native to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia.
The Muntingiaceae are a family of flowering plants, belonging to the rosid order Malvales. The family consists of three genera: Dicraspidia, Muntingia, and Neotessmannia, each with a single species. They are woody plants of the tropical regions of America. The older Cronquist system placed these genera in the family Tiliaceae, with which they share morphological similarities, but have no evolutionary affinity. Muntingia calabura is widely introduced in tropical regions, because of its edible fruit. Dicraspidia donnell-smithii and Neotessmannia uniflora are the other two species in the family, the latter only known from herbarium specimens.
Syzygium luehmannii is a medium-sized coastal rainforest tree native to Australia. Common names include riberry, small leaved lilly pilly, cherry satinash, cherry alder, or clove lilli pilli.
Eupomatia laurina, commonly named bolwarra, native guava or copper laurel, is a species of plant in the primitive flowering-plant family Eupomatiaceae, endemic to Australia and New Guinea. It grows to between 3 and 5 m tall, but larger specimens may attain a height of 15 m (50 ft) and a trunk diameter of 30 cm (12 in). In Australia, it is found in humid forests of the east coast, from as far south as Nowa Nowa in Victoria, north through New South Wales and Queensland to tropical Cape York Peninsula. It usually grows as an understorey plant in rainforests or humid Eucalypt forests.
Nephelium ramboutan-ake, the pulasan, is a tropical fruit in the soapberry family Sapindaceae. It is closely related to the rambutan and sometimes confused with it. Other related soapberry family fruits include lychee and longan. Usually eaten fresh, it is sweeter than the rambutan and lychee, but very rare outside Southeast Asia.
Eugenia stipitata is a fruit tree native to the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador.
Antidesma bunius is a species of fruit tree in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and northern Australia. It is commonly known as bignay, after its native name in the Philippines, where the fruits are commonly used for making bignay wine and jams. It is also known more ambiguously as Chinese laurel, Queensland cherry, salamander tree, wild cherry, and currant tree.
Thaumatococcus daniellii, also known as miracle fruit or miracle berry, is a plant species from tropical Africa of the Marantaceae family. It is a large, rhizomatous, flowering herb native to the rainforests of western Africa in Sierra Leone, southeast to Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also an introduced species in Australia and Singapore.