Lengua de gato
Conostegia xalapensis

Family: Melastomataceae

What it is like

A tree. It is usually about 10 m tall but can be 20 m all. The bark is brown with vertical cracks. The leaves are simple, opposite and narrow. They have teeth along the edge. The leaf size varies. They can be 10 cm long or longer. There are 3 main veins along the leaf with many cross veins. There is a rusty brown covering over many parts of the plant. This includes the underneath of the leaves. The flowers are in clusters at the tips of the branches. They have 5-7 white petals. These are 5 mm long. The fruit is purple-black and 1 cm across. It has many seeds. The fruit are edible.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Costa Rica it grows from sea level to 1,500 m altitude. It grows in gaps in the forest.

Countries/locations it is found in

Belize, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Capulin de cotorro, Capulincillo, Chicab, Chibate, Conco negritos, Dos caras, Lala comun, Lengua de vaca, Maria, Mora, Nigua, Nigua grande, Papelillo, Pasita, Popu, Quito manteca, Raspa lengua, Serita, Tecopulin, Tesuate, Teshuate, Texhuate, Tezhualillo

Synonyms

Conostegia lanceolata Cogn.; Conostegia xalapensis (Bonpl.) D.Don ex Naudin; Conostegia xalapensis f. canescens Cogn. ex Donn. Sm.; Conostegia xalapensis f. parvifolia Cogn. ex Donn.Sm.; Melastoma xalapense Bonpl.; Miconia xalapense M.Gómez; and others