Abiurana, Graceful pouteria
Pouteria elegans

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It is 3-10 m high. It can be 20 m high. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The young shoots have small hairs at first. The bark is pale grey to dark brown and thinly scaling. The leaves are spaced. They are arranged in spirals. They are 6.2-16 cm long by 1.9-5.2 cm wide. They are oblong or oval. There are 11-20 pairs of veins. The leaf stalk is 0.7-2 cm long. The flowers occur in tufts of 2-12 flowers. The flowers are of one sex with separate sexes on separate trees. The flowers are greenish-white. They have a scent. The fruit are 3-5 cm long. They are oval. The fruit become greenish-brown as they ripen. There is one seed. The seed is 2.5-4.1 cm long. The flesh around the seed is edible.

There are about 150-320 Pouteria species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows near rivers. It is often in forest which is occasionally or permanently flooded. It is usually at low elevations but can be up to 700 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, South America, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The pulp is sweet.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Abiurama, Cachito, Cajurana, Caramuri, Djee-dora-he, Guajara, Jarai, Karamirinda, Lacrao, Maparajuba, Massarandubinha, Pico de lombriz, Pimuyure, Shibwichi

Synonyms

Chrysophyllum glaucescens Engler; Chrysophyllum leptocarpum Spruce ex Miquel; Francherella crassifolia (Radklofer) Pires & Rodrigues; Guapeba crassifolia (Radlkofer) Pierre; Ichthyophora leptocarpa (Miquel) Baehni; Lucuma leptocarpa (Miquel) Bentham & Hooker; Neoxythece elegans (A DC.) Aubreville; Oxythece elegans (A. DC.) Pierre; Oxythece glaucescens (Engl.) Cronquist; Oxythece leptocarpa Miquel; Oxythece pseudosideroxylon Miquel; Planchonella elegans (A DC.) Baehni; Pouteria arbuscula Baehni; Pouteria crassifolia Radlkofer; Sideroxylon elegans A DC.; Sideroxylon elegans var. micranthum Miq.; Sideroxylon micranthum Klotzsch ex Miq.;