Bellucia mespiloides
(Miq.) J. F. Macbr.
Medlar like loreya
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Description
A shrub or tree. It grows 10 m tall. The flowers are in clusters on old wood in the axils of fallen leaves. They are also on the trunk. The fruit is an urn shaped berry. It is up to 2 cm long by 1.8 cm wide. It is pale green to yellow. It is densely hairy. The edges of the fruit have 5 weak lobes. The pulp is edible. There are many small seeds.
Edible Uses
The fruit pulp is eaten raw, especially by children.
Traditional Uses
The pulp of the fruit is eaten raw.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in rainforests and secondary forests. In Venezuela it grows between 1,100-1,700 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,
Other Information
The fruit are eaten especially by children.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Buck varnish, Camburito, Capirote blanco, Itara, Mesproe, Mesoepoe, Mispel, Pakiyapotai, Small jiggernet
References (8)
- Boom, B. M. & Moestl. S., 1990, Ethnobotanical Notes of Jose M. Cruzent from the Franco-Venezuelan Expedition to the Headquarters of the Orinico River. 1951-1952. Economic Botany, Vol 44 No. 2 pp. 416-419 (As Loreya mespiloides)
- Fouqué, A., 1972, Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Institut français de recherches fruitierès outre-mer (As Loreya mespiloides)
- Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 360 (As Loreya mespiloides)
- Maas, P.J. M., Non-Timber Forest Products of the North-West District of Guyana Part 2. The 85 most important NTFP species. p 144 (As Loreya mespiloides)
- NYBG herbarium "edible" (As Bellucia mespiloides)
Show all 8 references Hide references
- Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 213 (As Loreya mespiloides)
- Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
- van Roosmalen, M.G.M., 1985, Fruits of the Guianan Flora. Utrecht Univ. & Wageningen Univ. p 276 (As Loreya mespiloides)
