Pipewood, Wild honey tree
Casearia decandra

Family: Salicaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 4-10 m high. It can be 18 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are thin and papery. They are 5-10 cm long and smooth on both surfaces. The leaf stalk is 4-6 cm long. The flowers are grouped in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are yellow and they have a scent. The fruit are round capsules. They are about 1 cm across. They contain several seeds. The aril or layer around the seeds is yellow or orange. The pulp is sweet and edible.

There are 160-180 Casearia species. They are mostly in South America. 75 occur in tropical America. They have also been put in the plant family Flacourtiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in a range of forest types throughout Brazil from sea level to 100 m altitude. In the Guianas it grows to 1,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Argentina, Brazil (country/location of origin), Central America (country/location of origin), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Grenadines, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Martinique, Mexico, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The aril or fleshy layer around the seed is eaten.

It is not widely appreciated

Edible parts

Fruit, aril

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Burro ka'a, Cambroe, Canela-de-veado, Cerezo, Cerito, Guacatonga, Huesillo, Pitumba, Pururuca

Synonyms

Anavinga parvifolia Lam.; Casearia adamantium Cambess.; Casearia adstringens Mart.; Casearia albicaulis Rusby; Casearia floribunda Briq.; Casearia nitida Sieber ex Griseb.; Casearia parviflora Jacq.; Casearia parvifolia Willd.; Casearia parvifolia var. microcarpa Eggers; Casearia parvifolia var. paraguariensis Briq.; Casearia pavoniana Sleumer; Casearia reflexa Sleumer; Casearia samyda auct. non DC.; Casearia serrulata Sieber ex Griseb. non Sw.; Casearia ulmifolia auct. non Vahl; Chaetocrater reflexum Ruiz & Pav.; Guidonia adstringens (Mart.) Baill.; Guidonia parvifolia (Willd.) M.Gómez; Samyda lancifolia Sessé & Moc.; Samyda parviflora auct. non L.; Samyda parviflora Loefl. ex L.; Samyda parvifolia Poir.;