Marble tree
Cassine xylocarpa

Family: Celastraceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub or small tree. It grows 2-12 m tall. The trunk is slender and 5-8 cm across. It can have several stems. The crown is dense and often twisted. The fruit are round and yellow. They can be 3 cm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in scrubland. In Puerto Rico it grows from sea level to 300 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of 750-1,800 mm.

Countries/locations it is found in

Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Mexico, North America, Panama, Puerto Rico, South America, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. They can also be grown from cuttings treated with rooting hormone.

Trees grow slowly.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Cassine attenuata (A. Rich.) Kuntze; Cassine dioica (Griseb.) Lobr.-Callen; Cassine rotundata (DC.) Kuntze; Elaeodendron attenuatum A. Rich.; Elaeodendron dioicum Griseb.; Elaeodendron rotundatum DC.; Elaeodendron xylocarpa (Vent.) DC.; and others