Brownward plum, Camiche, Coma, Guamachito
Sideroxylon celastrinum

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A dense shrub or small tree. It can be 12 m high with a trunk 30 cm across. The bark is dark grey to black. The young branches have soft white hairs. There are often stout spines present. The leaves are arranged in spirals at first. They later form tufts. The leaves are 0.7-5 cm long by 0.3-2.5 cm wide. There are 5-8 pairs of secondary veins. The leaf stalk is 0.5-4 mm long. The flowers have both sexes. There are 2-5 or more flowers in a group. The fruit are 0.9-1.5 cm long. They are narrow and oval. The mature fruit is purple or black. There is one seed 0.7-1.3 cm long. The seed coat is hard and shiny. The fruit are edible.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in dry thorn forest. It also grows in tropical deciduous forest. It grows in coastal areas on salt marshes and in mangroves that are occasionally flooded. It grows from sea level to 900 m.

Countries/locations it is found in

Bahamas, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America, USA, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Camiche, Coma, Coma resinera, Comas, Guamachito, Hormigo, Hormiguillo, Huesito, Luchumche, Quintana, Pasita, Pasito, Pionche, Saj, Uvita negra, Zalamera

Synonyms

Bumelia affinis Blake; Bumelia angustifolia Nutt.; Bumelia celastrina Kunth; Bumelia celastrina var. angustifolia (Nutt.) R. W. Long; Bumelia eggersii Pierre; Bumelia ferox Schlecht. & Chamisso; Bumelia hayesii Hemsley; Bumelia megacocca Small; Bumelia parvifolia Chapm.; Bumelia schottii Britton; Bumelia spiniflora A. DC.; Bumelia spinosa A. DC.; Lyciodes angustifolium (Nutt.) Kuntze; Lyciodes candolleanum Kuntze; Lyciodes ferox (Schlecht. & Chamisso) Kuntze; Lyciodes hayesii (Hemsley) Kuntze; Lyciodes spiniflorum (A. DC.) Kuntze;