Guianas tococo bush
Tococa guianensis

Family: Melastomataceae

What it is like

A shrub or tree. It grows 6 m tall. The flowers are in groups 10 cm long. The upper branches are strongly flattened. The fruit do not have stalks. The fruit are urn shaped berries. They are 0.8 cm long by 0.8 cm wide. The pulp is sweet, juicy and edible. The seeds are irregularly oval and 0.13 cm long by 0.08 cm wide.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in forests near rivers and on wet marshy grund in savannas.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

It is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Anayo caspi, Aohuere, Buxixu-de-formiga, Buyo buyo, Boyuyo, Capirote cachimbo, Chinchak, Colquilla, Ewiwe, Halli bumba, Hatun payansu, Ish-k'a-pim, Jatunpayanshu, Obiwi, Oluka, Pabojoni, Pau-jacare, Payanshu, Pe'suaohuere, Pucacuru caspi, Sampi, Suni panka, Tococo, Wampa, Yakiwe

Synonyms

Maieta glandulifera Standl.; Melastoma physophora Vahl; Melastoma tococo Desr.; Miconia erioneura Cogn.; Tibouchina coriacea S.Moore; Tococa acuminata Benth.; Tococa aubletii D.Don; Tococa barbata Benth.; Tococa cachimbensis Brade; Tococa cardiophylla Naudin; Tococa chuivensis Wurdack; Tococa chuivensis var. ecuadorensis Wurdack; Tococa coriacea S.Moore; Tococa didymophysca Naudin; Tococa discolor Pilg.; Tococa erioneura (Cogn.) Wurdack; Tococa erythrostachya Spruce ex Triana; Tococa ferruginea G.Nicholson; Tococa formicaria Mart.; Tococa formicaria var. didymophysca (Naudin) Cogn.; Tococa formicaria var. gardneri Cogn.; Tococa guianensis var. macrophysca Naudin; Tococa guianensis var. orinocensis Wurdack; Tococa juruensis Pilg.; Tococa latifolia Naudin; Tococa loretensis Ule; Tococa mexiae Wurdack; Tococa occidentalis Naudin; Tococa orcheophora Naudin; Tococa peckiana B.L.Rob.; Tococa platyphysca Cogn.; Tococa roreimi Hook.; Tococa subglabrata Cogn.; Tococa vesiculosa DC.;