Lucma, Bigleaf pouteria
Pouteria macrophylla

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows to 20-30 m high. The trunk is 50 cm across. It has white sap. It has small buttresses. The leaves are green and vary in shape. They tend to be long and sword shaped and 10-18 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. There are 3-12 flowers in a group. The fruit is 6 cm long and 4 cm wide.

There are about 150-320 Pouteria species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in regions with 1,500-3,500 mm rain per year. In Bolivia they grow to 700 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Bolivia, Brazil (country/location of origin), Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten fresh. It is also used for drinks.

The fruit are popular. It is a cultivated fruit tree.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Abiu-cutite, Abiurana, Abiurana-cutitiriba, Acara-uba, Acuchi iba, Caimo, Cutite, Cutitiriba, Fruta huevi, Juturuba, Yacui-cuiba, Yahe, Yees

Synonyms

Achras glaucescens Willd. ex Steud.; Bumelia nervosa Vahl; Chrysophyllum macrophyllum Lamarck; Lucuma acreana Krause; Lucuma rivicoa C.F.Gaertner; Richardella macrophylla (Lam.) Aubrey; Richardella rivicoa (C.F.Geartn.) Pierre; Vitellaria glaucophylla Engler; Vitellaria rivicoa (C.F.Gaertn.) Radlkofer;