Chocolate fruit
Tocoyena bullata

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 1-3.5 m tall. It can have one or several stems. The new branches have a coating. The leaves are simple and opposite. They are oblong and 12-20 cm long by 6-10 cm wide. They base is wedge shaped and they taper to a long tip. The flowers are in short bunches of 8-20 flowers. These have long yellow tubes and uneven and curved lobes. These are 3-4 cm long. The fruit are berries 4-6 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. They are green and white but turn black when ripe. The pulp is black and there are many black seeds.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Brazil, South America

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

In Brazil plants fruit July to August.

Its other names

Local names

Marmelada-da-praia

Synonyms

Gardenia bullata Vell.; Gardenia lanuginosa A. Rich.; and others