Black balata
Manilkara huberi

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A large tree. It grows 50 m high. The trunk can be 2-3 m across. It has buttresses up to 2.5 m high. The young branches are dark brown and the tip has a shiny coat of resin. The bark is deeply cracked. The crown is rounded and widely spreading. The leaves are 15-23 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. They are oblong. There are 30-35 pairs of secondary veins. The leaf is pale yellow underneath. The leaf stalk is 3.5-6.5 cm long. There are 10-15 flowers in a group on branches from the one point. They are greenish-white. The fruit are 2.5-3 cm long by 2.5-2.8 cm wide. They are oval or rounded. The fruit are green or yellowish green when ripe.

There are about 75 Manilkara species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in non flooded lowland rainforest. It can be up to 700 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Brazil (country/location of origin), French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Mexico, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The milky sap is drinkable. The fruit is eaten raw.

The fruit are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, sap

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The ripe fruit are harvested and put into plastic bags to allow them to soften. The seeds are removed and washed under running water. Fresh seed are planted. They germinate in 4-8 weeks.

Its other names

Local names

Basra-boletri, Basra-bortri, Chupon, Macaranduba, Maparajuba, Massarunduba, Massarunduba balata, Pulgo negro, Purguo, Macaranduba, Macaranduba-balata, Macaranduba-mansa, Zapote

Synonyms

Manilkara huberi (Ducke) A. Chev.; Mimusops huberi Ducke;