Potalia amara
Aubl.
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) accidentalshrike, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by accidentalshrike
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) accidentalshrike, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by accidentalshrike
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Guillaume Léotard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Guillaume Léotard
Description
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. The leaves are opposite and broadly sword shaped. They are 30-70 cm long by 9-18 cm wide. There are many flowers in a group at the ends of the branches. The fruit are green and turn reddish-green when mature. They are 11-15 mm long by 10-15 mm wide. The seeds are dark brown and 4 mm long by 2 mm wide.
Edible Uses
The fruit are eaten.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 100 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname,
Notes
Also put in the families Loganiaceae and Potaliaceae.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Anabi, Bokokini, Curarina, Pau-de-cobra, Sacha curarina
References (1)
- 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 680
