Byrsonima coriacea (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Byrsonima coriacea (Schwartz) Kunth var. spicata (L.C. Richard) Niedenzu

Family: Malpighiaceae

Synonyms

Malpighia spicata Cav., Byrsonima spicata (Cav.) L.C. Richard.

Vernacular names

• Locust berry, hilly hock (En). Bois chardon, mauriat (Fr).

Distribution

West Indies, Central and tropical South America. Occasionally cultivated in Java.

Uses

The fruit pulp is eaten raw or preserved and is sometimes used to flavour porridges. The tree is also planted as an ornamental.

Observations

Small tree or large shrub, 12-15 m tall, stem to 30 cm thick. Fruit a globose drupe, 1-2 cm in diameter, yellow when mature. Seed globose, 8-10 mm. In primary and secondary rain forest. Propagation by seed. Requiring a humus-rich soil and a sunny location.

Selected sources

3, 21, 51.