Perennial Edible Fruits C2P64

Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh; flavor sub acid, pleasant. Seeds processed into chocolate. Not important for pulp; very important as source of chocolate. Good potential for greater production. Commercial production in many areas of hot Tropics.

References: Chatt 1953. Ochse et al. 1961, Urquhart 1962.

Theobroma grandiflorum K. Schum.
Common names: cupuassu (English); cupuaçu (Portuguese).

Origin: Brazil.

Distribution: Some introduction elsewhere into Tropics but common only in Amazon.

Cultural requirements: Hot, wet tropical lowlands.

Description: Tree to 20 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit 12-25 cm long, 10-12 cm in diameter; external color brown, internal yellowish or whitish.

Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh, in beverages. Flavor sub acid, aromatic; high appeal. Important in native area. Evaluation of potential elsewhere needed.

References: Cavalcante 1974, Fouqué 1974.

Strychnaceae

Strychnos spinosa Lam.
Common names: Kaffir orange, monkey ball (English).

Origin: Africa.

Distribution: Introduced into many areas but not common outside Africa.

Cultural requirements: Hot, dry tropical or subtropical savanna. Tolerant of light frost.

Description: Shrub or tree to 10 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit globose, 10-12 cm in diameter; external color yellowish orange, internal yellowish brown.
Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh, fermented to make alcoholic beverage. Flavor sub acid; moderate appeal. Little potential for cultivation as food crop.

Verbenaceae

Vitex doniana Sweet (= V. cuneata K. Schum. et Thonn., V. cienkowskii Kotschy et Perr.)
Common names: black plum, African plum (English); prune noire (French); koro (Africa).

Origin: Africa.

Distribution: Africa.

Cultural requirements: Hot tropical climate; savanna and deciduous forest with low to medium rainfall.

Description: Tree to 20 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit 2 cm long, external color black.

Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh, candied, mixed with other fruits and used in various ways. Flavor sweet (resembles prune). Widely used in native area; little potential for cultivation elsewhere.

References: Dalziel 1948, Eggeling 1940, Irvine 1961.

Vitaceae

Vitis vinifera L.
Common names: grape (English); uva (Spanish); raisin (French).

Origin: Eurasia.

Distribution: Tropics, subtropics, Temperate Zone.

Cultural requirements: Best development in subtropical and temperate regions with fertile well drained soils and good supply of soil moisture during growing season In these regions, dormancy is induced by cool weather. In some hot tropical areas fruit production is achieved by pruning or withholding water to induce dormancy. In general. grapes are not well adapted to the hot, wet, lowland Tropics.

Description: Woody deciduous vine. Propagation by cuttings, grafting. Fruit production in 3-4 years. Flowering occurs after dormant period Fruit matures in 90 or more days. Fruit globose to ellipsoid, in large clusters; external color green, yellow, red, or purple; internal color white, pink, or red.

Utilization: Fruit eaten fresh, dried; made into jellies, jams, wine, juice. Flavor sweet; universal appeal. Widely grown on a commercial scale, with many varieties adapted to subtropical and temperate regions. Varieties adapted to the Tropics are needed to stimulate more commercial production, for which there is good potential.

References: Araque 1969, Olmo 1970, Tafurt at al. 1969.

Last Page Chapter 2 Major Fruits

Next month we start Chapter 3!

Tropical Visions thanks David Fay for the time consuming scanning and OCR work on this document.
Any mistakes are the editors.

Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics

Strychnaceae

Verbenaceae

Vitaceae