1599

2: Edible fruits and nuts

Byrsonima coriacea (Schwartz) Kunth var. spicata (L.C. Richard) Niedenzu

MALPIGHIACEAE

Malpighia spicata Cav., Byrsonima spicata (Cav.) L.C. Richard.

Locust berry, hilly hock (En). Bois chardon, mauriat (Fr).

West Indies, Central and tropical South America. Occasionally cultivated in Java.

The fruit pulp is eaten raw or preserved and is sometimes used to flavour porridges. The tree is also planted as an ornamental.

Small tree or large shrub, 12—15 m tall, stem to 30 cm thick. Fruit a globose drupe, 1—2 cm in diameter, yellow when mature. Seed globose, 8—10 mm. In primary and secondary rain forest. Propagation by seed. Requiring a humus-rich soil and a sunny location.

[3]Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C., 1963–1968. Flora of Java. 3 Volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands.
[21]Fouqué, A., 1972–1974. Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Fruits 27–29.
[51]Mansfeld, R. & Schultze-Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen

Jansen, P.C.M., Jukema, J., Oyen, L.P.A. & van Lingen, T.G., 1991. Byrsonima coriacea (Schwartz) Kunth var. spicata (L.C. Richard) Niedenzu. In: Verheij, E.W.M. and Coronel, R.E. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 2: Edible fruits and nuts. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea