Chrysochlamys nicaraguensis

Family: Clusiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It can grow 3-11 m tall. The trunk can be 24 cm across. The leaf stalks are 3 cm long. The leaf blades are narrowly oval and 12-22 cm longby 5-11 cm wide. The flowers are in groups at the top of the plant. These are 16 cm long. The flowers have both sexes and are about 5 mm long. The fruit are red and round or oval. They are 2 cm long. They have 5 black dots at the top. They split into 5 parts and each section has one seed. The white fleshy layer around the seeds is edible.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the moist forest zone.

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Rapadura, Tovomita grande

Synonyms

Chrysochlamys pauciflora Standl. [Illegitimate]; Chrysochlamys standleyana L. O. Williams; Tovomita nicaraguensis (Oerst., Planch. & Triana) L. O. Williams; Tovomitopsis nicaraguensis Oerst., Planch. & Triana; Tovomitopsis standleyana (L. O. Williams) D'Arcy;