Umarirana
Couepia subcordata

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 10-20 m tall. The crown has lots of leaves. The leaves are papery and smooth on the upper surface but brownish white with fine hairs underneath. The leaves are 12-17 cm long. The leaf stalks are hairy and 6-7 mm long. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves and at the ends of branches. The flowers are a dull white colour. The fruit is oval and fleshy. The skin is smooth and the pulp is fleshy.

There are 71 Couepia species. They are all in tropical America. The fruit are rich in carotenoids.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows naturally in the dryland forests in the central Amazon in Brazil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Brazil (country/location of origin), Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, South America

How it is used for food

Fruit are eaten fresh.

It is sometimes cultivated. The fruit are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seeds are collected from ripe fruit and the fruit are stored in plastic bags to make it easier to remove the pulp. The seeds are washed under running water and planted fresh. Seeds emerge in 15-55 days.

Trees grow quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Guaiji, Huayhi, Mariramba, Marirana, Mary-rana, Sacha umari, Subcordate couepia, Supay ocote, Umarirana

Synonyms

Couepia amazonica Fritsch; Moquilea inaequalis Poepp. ex Fritsch;