Tococa guianensis

Aubl.

Guianas tococo bush

Melastomataceae Edible: Fruit

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iNaturalist· cc0

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iNaturalist· cc0

no rights reserved

Description

A shrub or tree. It grows 6 m tall. The flowers are in groups 10 cm long. The upper branches are strongly flattened. The fruit do not have stalks. The fruit are urn shaped berries. They are 0.8 cm long by 0.8 cm wide. The pulp is sweet, juicy and edible. The seeds are irregularly oval and 0.13 cm long by 0.08 cm wide.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten raw and are occasionally cultivated for this purpose.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in forests near rivers and on wet marshy grund in savannas.

Where It Grows

Amazon, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,

Other Information

It is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit.

Synonyms

Maieta glandulifera Standl.Melastoma physophora VahlMelastoma tococo Desr.Miconia erioneura Cogn.Tibouchina coriacea S.MooreTococa acuminata Benth.Tococa aubletii D.DonTococa barbata Benth.Tococa cachimbensis BradeTococa cardiophylla NaudinTococa chuivensis WurdackTococa chuivensis var. ecuadorensis WurdackTococa coriacea S.MooreTococa didymophysca NaudinTococa discolor Pilg.Tococa erioneura (Cogn.) WurdackTococa erythrostachya Spruce ex TrianaTococa ferruginea G.NicholsonTococa formicaria Mart.Tococa formicaria var. didymophysca (Naudin) Cogn.Tococa formicaria var. gardneri Cogn.Tococa guianensis var. macrophysca NaudinTococa guianensis var. orinocensis WurdackTococa juruensis Pilg.Tococa latifolia NaudinTococa loretensis UleTococa mexiae WurdackTococa occidentalis NaudinTococa orcheophora NaudinTococa peckiana B.L.Rob.Tococa platyphysca Cogn.Tococa roreimi Hook.Tococa subglabrata Cogn.Tococa vesiculosa DC.

Also Known As

Anayo caspi, Aohuere, Buxixu-de-formiga, Buyo buyo, Boyuyo, Capirote cachimbo, Chinchak, Colquilla, Ewiwe, Halli bumba, Hatun payansu, Ish-k'a-pim, Jatunpayanshu, Obiwi, Oluka, Pabojoni, Pau-jacare, Payanshu, Pe'suaohuere, Pucacuru caspi, Sampi, Suni panka, Tococo, Wampa, Yakiwe

References (8)

Fouqué, A., 1972, Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Institut français de recherches fruitierès outre-mer
Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 666
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 650
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 870
Lopez-Diago, D. & Garcia, N., 2021, Wild edible fruits of Colombia. Biota ColomBiana 22 (2) p 43

Show all 8 references

Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
Torre, de la, L., et al, 2008, Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador. Herbario QCA. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. p 434 (Also as Tococa chuivensis)
van Roosmalen, M.G.M., 1985, Fruits of the Guianan Flora. Utrecht Univ. & Wageningen Univ. p 283