Capiri, Capire
Sideroxylon capiri

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 18 m tall. The trunk is 75 cm across. The bark is grey and peels off. The young shoots and leaves are hairy. The flowers are yellow or greenish-white. The fruit are 2.5-4 cm long. The fruit ripens yellow. There is one seed inside. The seed is 1.6-2.5 cm long. It has a hard, smooth shiny coat. The fruit are edible.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in tropical deciduous forest from sea level to 1,600 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Belize, Central America, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, South America, Trinidad & Tobago

How it is used for food

The fruit are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Capire, Cosaguite, Tempisque

Synonyms

Achras capiri (A DC.) Sesse & Mocino; Lucuma capiri A DC.; Mastichodendron capiri (A DC.) Cronquist; Paralabatia capiri (A DC.) Baehni; Sideroxylon petiolare A. Gray;