Bay-leaved caper
Capparis flexuosa

Family: Capparaceae

What it is like

A woody shrub that can be scrambling. It is much branched from the base. Stem can be 2-10 m long. The branches hang down. They are smooth and light brown and 20 cm across at the base. The leaves are alternate and 4-10 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They are narrowly oblong. The edges curl back. They are yellowish green on the top surface and pale green underneath. The flowers come out at night and have a scent. They are in clusters at the ends of branches. They are yellowish green. The fruit are cylinder shaped fleshy follicles. They are 6-8 cm long. The seeds are 1 cm long with a white fleshy covering.

There are about 250 Capparis species. There are about 50 Capparis species in tropical America. Also as Capparidaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal forests and on limestone.

Countries/locations it is found in

Antilles, Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico (country/location of origin), Panama, Nicaragua, North America, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, South America, Suriname, USA, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The flower buds are used like caper.

Edible parts

Fruit, flower buds - flavouring

How it is grown

In Central America it flowers March to October and fruits August and September.

Its other names

Local names

Black witty, Bottle wiss, Burro, Feijao de boi, Goat wiss, Hurihuri, Limber caper, Palawang, Palinguam, Palo de burro

Synonyms

Capparis cynophallophora L. 1959 non sp. pl. 1753; Capparis declinata Vell.; Capparis didymobotrys Ruiz & Pav. ex E. A. Lopez; Capparis eucalyptifolia Haught.; Capparis eustachiana Jacq.; Capparis flexuosa (L.) L. var. cordifolia Kitan.; Capparis flexusoa f. hastata (Jacq.) Durand; Capparis flexuosa var. saligna (Vahl) Fawc. & Rendle; Capparis guayaquilensis Kunth; Capparis guayaquilensis subsp, mollis (Kunth) H.H. Iltis; Capparis laetevirens Mart.; Capparis laevigata Mart. Capparis laceolata Ruiz & Pav. ex DC.; Capparis mollis Kunth; Capparis pluvialis Mart.; Capparis saligna Vahl; Capparis sinclairii Benth.; Capparis subbiloba Kunth; Capparis velloziana Mart.; Colicodendron subbilobum (Kunth) Seem.; Cyanophylla declinata (Vell.) H. H. Iltis & X. Cornejo; Cyanophylla flexuosa (L.) J. Presl; Cyanophylla guayaquilensis (Kunth) H. H. Iltis; Cyanophylla mollis (Kunth) J. Presl.; Morisonia flexuosa L.; Uterveria eustachiana (Jacq.) Bertol.;