Guarataro
Mouriri rhizophorifolia

Family: Melastomataceae

What it is like

A low bushy tree. It can be 3 m high. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The bark is thin and papery. It flakes off in irregular pieces. The leaves are 5-11 cm long by 3-7 cm wide. They are dark green above and paler underneath. They are narrowly oval. The flowering stalks are in the axils of the leaves or where leaves have fallen. They can be in pairs and there are 1-3 flowers on each stalk. They flowers have a scent that can be unpleasant. The flower petals are white. The fruit are yellow or orange and almost round. They are 2-3 cm high. There can be 5 dark brown seeds.

They have also been put in the family Memecylaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They can grow in dry to moist forests and on rocky ground. They grow between 10-300 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Martinique, South America, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Olisbea rhizophoraefolia A. P. de Candolle; Guildingia psidioides W. J. Hooker;