Carajon
Zuelania guidonia

Family: Salicaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows 20-30 m high. The trunk is straight. The bark is brown with white cell spots. The leaves are alternate and regularly spaced. There can be fine teeth along the edge. The leaves are hairy underneath with red veins. Leaves turn yellow and fall off in the dry season. The flowers are white and in clusters along the branches. The fruit is a round capsule. It is 5 cm across. It splits open with seeds surrounded by a red covering.

Also put in the Flacourtiaceae family.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry areas.

Countries/locations it is found in

Bahamas, Belize, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are cooked then eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Arbol caspa, Dandruff tree, Carano, Oermetrina, Paragua, Tamay, Volador

Synonyms

Casearia guidonia (Sw.) Lundell non Benth.; Casearia icosandra (Sw.) Planch. & Triana ex Hemsl.; Casearia latioides (A. Rich.) Northr.; Guidonia icosandra (Sw.) Kuntze; Guidonia latioides (A. Rich.) M. Gomez; Laetia crenata A. Rich.; Laetia guidonia Sw.; Laetia longifolia A. Rich.; Samyda icosandra Sw.; Thiodia laetioides (A. Rich.) Griseb.; Zuelania crenata (A. Rich.) Griseb.; Zuelania icosandra (Sw.) Clos; Zuelania laetioides A. Rich.; Zuelania longifolia A. Rich.; Zuelania roussoviae Pittier;