Abiufi
Micropholis melinoniana

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 40 m high. The trunk can be 1.5 m across. The young shoots have very small soft hairs. The bark becomes pale greyish brown and cracked and scaly. The leaves are spaced and alternate. They are 7-17 cm long by 2-5.2 cm wide. They are oblong. The leaf stalk is 0.8-1.5 cm long and with a channel. The flowers are of one sex with both sexes on the one tree. The flowers occur in tufts of 5-15 flowers in the axils of leaves or where the leaves have fallen. The flowers are greenish-white or cream. The flowers have a scent. The fruit is 4-7 cm long and broadly oval. The fruit is edible. There is one or several seeds inside. They are 2.5-2.6 cm long.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in lowland tropical rainforest. It can grow from sea level to 1,500 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Belize, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ankawe, Apiahi, Aviyu, Baricoco, Caimitillo blanco, Cajon, Lagartomoena, Lechoso, Manantin, Meninwe, Paenaemancka, Penemeka, Pico de lonbriz, Pucha kaimitiyu, Silion blanco, Zolive, Zolive maipuri

Synonyms

Micropholis guatemalensis Lundell; Micropholis mexicana Gilly ex Cronquist; Pouteria melinoniana (Pierre) Baehni; Sideroxylon calophylloides Lundell; Sideroxylon rugosum sensu DC; Sideroxylon rugosum Roemer & Schultes; Stephanoluma rugosa (A DC.)Baillon;