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Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics


Chapter 2 Major Fruits


Description: Tree to 20 m. Propagation by seed. Flowers at various times of year. Fruit 5-6 cm long; external color greenish brown, internal white.

Utilization: Seed eaten fresh, cooked. Flavor good. Limited potential because kernel difficult to ex-tract. Used more as ornamental tree than as food crop.

Reference: Burkill 1935.


Terminalia edulis Blanco
Common name: dalison (English).

Origin: Southeast Asia, Philippines.

Distribution: Southeast Asia, Philippines, Hawaii.

Cultural requirements: Tropical lowlands.

Description: Tree to 35 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit 5 cm long; external color red.

Utilization: Pulp eaten as preserves. Flavor sour. Little potential.

Reference: Brown 1920.


Terminalia kaernbachii Warb.
Common name: okari nut (English).

Origin: Papua New Guinea.

Distribution: Southeast Asia, Hawaii.

Cultural requirements: Tropical lowlands.

Description: Large tree. Propagation by seed. Fruit 10 cm long; external color rose, internal white.

Utilization: Seed eaten fresh, roasted. Flavor good; high appeal. Good source of protein. Good poten-tial for wider cultivation. Needs wider trial.


Cycadaceae

Cycas circinalis L.
Common name: queen sago.

Origin: Asia, Africa.

Distribution: Pantropic.

Cultural requirements: Hot tropics and subtropics. Tolerant of light frost.

Description: Tree to 7 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit ovoid, 4-4.5 cm long, exterior color brown.

Utilization: Seed leached with water to remove toxins, dried meal used as starchy food. Locally important as food crop. More important in many areas as ornamental plant.

Reference: Burkill 1935.

Dilleniaceae


Dillenia indica L.
Common names: elephant apple (English); chalba (India).

Origin: India.

Distribution: Widely introduced into Tropics.
 
Cultural requirements: Hot tropical lowlands with medium to high rainfall.

Description: Tree to 12 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit 12-15 cm in diameter, solitary; exterior color green.

Utilization: Fleshy sepals used as flavoring in curries, jams. Flavor has low appeal outside of native area. Little potential as food crop.

References: Burkill 1935. Kennard and Winters 1960.


Ebenaceae

Diospyros discolor Willd.
Common names: velvet apple, butter fruit (English); mabolo (Philippines).

Origin: Philippines.

Distribution: Introduced widely into Tropics but not common.

Cultural requirements: Hot, humid tropical lowlands.

Description: Tree to 10 m. Propagation mostly by seed; can be grafted. Flowers March-May (Florida). Dioecious, occasionally monoecious. Seedless selections known. Fruit matures in 150-180 days. Fruit ovoid, 6-10 cm in diameter, solitary; external color purplish red to orange, internal white to yellowish.

Utilization: Pulp of fruit eaten fresh, preserved. Flavor sweet, aromatic; moderate appeal. Fair potential for wide cultivation.

References: Popenoe 1939, Ruehle et al. 1958.


Diospyros ebenaster Retz. (= D. digyna Jacq.)
Common names: black sapote (English); zapote negro, zapote de mico (Spanish); barbacoa, bois d'ébène, sapote noir (French); ebano (Portuguese).

Origin: Mexico, Central America.

Distribution: Introduced elsewhere into Tropics but not common.

Cultural requirements: Hot tropical climate, low to middle elevations, relatively high rainfall. Well adapted to calcareous soils.

Description: Tree to 15 m. Propagation by seed, grafting. Fruit production in 5-6 years from seed, 2-3 years from grafts. Flowers March-May (Flor-ida). Fruit mature in 200-300 days. Fruit ovate, 7-12 cm in diameter, solitary; external color green to brown, internal brown to black.




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© MMIV - Volume 1 Number 4 Whole Number 4 Tropical Visions August 2004

Spinning Macintosh apple