Cerezo de monte, Woodland coffee
Bunchosia nitida

Family: Malpighiaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. The trunk is straight but fluted. It grows 7-15 m tall. The trunk can be 20 cm across. The leaves are simple and opposite. They are regularly spaced. The leaves have silvery hairs underneath. The flowers are bright yellow. The fruit are about 3 cm across. The fruit are fleshy and have a single seed.

There are 68 Bunchosia species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is often on rocky limestone. It grows up to 1,400 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rica, South America, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies, Winward Is.

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw or cooked.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants grow from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Bwa ami, Cabra, Cabra hedionda, Cabrita, Cerecillo, Cereza, Ciruela de fraile, Hobo fraile, Icaquillo, Kayman fran, Mierda de gallina

Synonyms

Bunchosia cornifolia Kunth; Bunchosia glauca Kunth; Bunchosia media (Dryand. ex Aiton) DC.; Bunchosia polystachya (Andrews) DC.; Malpighia media Aiton; Malpighia nitida Jacq.; Malpighia polystachia Andrews; and others