Olive shaped honey berry, Yellow genip
Melicoccus oliviformis

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 6-10 m tall. The crown is round. The trunk is 25-35 cm across. The leaves are alternate and compound. They have 2-3 pairs of leaflets. The flowers are small and white. They are in clusters near the ends of branches. The fruit are orange to red. They are in groups of 6-10 and 4.5 cm long by 3 cm wide. There is one large seed.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 150 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Belize, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, South America, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten and also used for jelly. The seeds are roasted and eaaten.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, seed

How it is grown

Plants are grown by fresh rip seed.

Its other names

Local names

Cotiperi, Cotoperis, Cotoperiz, Cutupli, Guaya, Guaya paes, Guayo, Huaya, Huayum, Keneb, Kinep, Mamon cutuplis, Uayab, Uayum, Waya pais

Synonyms

Cupania congestiflora Cuatrec.; Toulicia brachyphylla Radlk.; Talisia oliviformis (Kunth) Radlk.;