Star apple
Chrysophyllum roxburghii

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It can be 30 m tall. It can have buttresses. It has a white sticky exudate. The leaves are simple and 5-15 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. The new growth has rusty brown hairs. The leaf stalk is 5-8 mm long. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves. There are 5 green or white petals. They are 2-3 mm long. The fruit is fleshy and green or yellow. It is 5-6 cm long and wide. The fruit has a sticky white exudate. There can be 5 seeds and they are shiny brown. They are 24 mm long.

There are about 80-150 Chrysophyllum species. They are mostly in tropical America. There are 44 species in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 450 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Central America, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Torres Strait, West Indies

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds and also by budding and grafting.

In NE India plants flower and fruit April to May.

Its other names

Local names

Atha pala, Boppitha, Hale, Kappalei, Kattillupai, Kattusapotta, Lawulu, Mansal palam, Petakara, Pitakara, Pithogardkh, Pohon kayu nasi, Pokok melukut, Pokok pepulut, Pokok pulut-pulut, Pulichakka, Tarsi, Thai pabuan, Tha-kya-pin

Synonyms

Chrysophyllum lanceolatum (Blume) A.DC.; Donella roxburghii (G. Don) Pierre ex Lecomte; Nyctererisiton lanceolatum Blume;