Swamp baromalli
Catostemma commune
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 30-45 m tall. The trunk is 50-70 cm across. The leaves are alternate and clustered at the ends of the small branches. The leaf stalk is 1-9 cm long. It is thickened at both ends. They blades are stiff and papery. They are narrowly oval and 4-19 cm long by 2-9 cm wide. The seedlings have leaflets arranged like fingers on a hand. The flowering shoots are in clusters in the axils of leaves. The flowers have a sweet scent. They are tube shaped and 1 cm long. The petals are white. The fruit is a woody capsule 7-10 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. It is rusty brown. They are densely velvet and have one seed. This is orange and 5-8 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. The seed wall is fleshy and edible.
Also put in the family Bombacaceae. In the subfamily Bombacoideae.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed forest in river basins.
Countries/locations it is found in
Amazon, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, South America, Venezuela
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds
How it is grown
Plants grown from seeds. Seedlings when damaged can re-sprout.
In Guyana it flowers February to May and fruits October to May.
Its other names
Local names
Baramanni, Baromalli, Katama, Paku, Simana, Xapu uhi