Coccoloba pubescens

Platter-leaf, Mountain grape

Polygonaceae Edible: Fruit Some parts mildly toxic — see hazards 405 iNaturalist observations

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iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Coccoloba pubescens, known as grandleaf seagrape, largeleaf, mountain-grape, and Eve's umbrella, is a species of Coccoloba native to coastal regions of the Caribbean: on Antigua, Barbados, Barbuda, Dominica, Hispaniola, Martinique, Montserrat, and Puerto Rico.

Description

A tree. It grows 13 m high. The leaves are round. They are softly hairy underneath. They clasp the stem at the base. Sapling leaves can be 50 cm by 80 cm. Mature leaves are 7.5 cm by 10 cm. The flowers are in a spike at the end. These can be 18 cm long and have greenish-white flowers. The fruit is round. It is 6 mm across and green with red tinges.

Edible Uses

The round fruits are eaten fresh.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Where It Grows

Australia, Caribbean, Central America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies,

Cultivation

Prefers a moist but well-drained fertile soil. A slow-growing plant. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Propagation

Seed - sow in containers at 20c. Greenwood cuttings Air layering.

Other Uses

The heartwood is reddish brown, with pores marked by dark gum; the sapwood is whitish. The wood is very hard, strong, heavy, resistant and durable, being resistant to attacks by dry-wood termites. It is used for general carpentry, construction and furniture.

Notes

There are between 120-200 Coccoloba species in tropical America.

Synonyms

Coccoloba grandiflora

Also Known As

Oreja de elefante

References (5)

Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 123
Ekman Herbarium records Haiti
Fouqué, A.. 1972, Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Institut français de recherches fruitierès outre-mer
Miguel, E., et al, 1989, A checklist of the cultivated plants of Cuba. Kulturpflanze 37. 1989, 211-357
Syst. nat. ed. 10, 2:1007. 1759