Pitumba casearia
Casearia pitumba

Family: Salicaceae

What it is like

A shrub or tree. It grows 4-12 m tall. The flowers occur in small clusters. The fruit have thick stalks. The fruit is a capsule. It is 3 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. It is green and turns yellow then orange. The fruit usually has 3 ribs along it and 3 thick woody valves where it opens. There are about 20 seeds. These are angular and 1 cm long by 0.5 cm wide. They are a white slimy aril of layer around the seeds. This 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

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the rainforest, especially along rivers but also in savanna and secondary forest.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Peru, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit, aril

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bita-tiki, Boesikofi, Dujo, Kwasijikwasji-tiki, Nigua, Peecojuhe, Yanamucu ruyu, Yepenenoncamo

Synonyms

Casearia macrophylla Vahl; Casearia macrophylla var. barbatula J.F.Macbr.; Casearia tarapotina auct., non Pilg.; Casearia timbuchi J.F.Macbr.; Pitumba edulis A.Rich. ex Eichler; Pitumba guianensis Aubl.; Samyda pitumba Poir.;