Poraqueiba sericea

Tul.

Silky poraqueiba

Icacinaceae Edible: Fruit, Starch, Seeds - oil, Leaves - tea 43 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Poraqueiba sericea (common name: umari) is a species of tree in the family Metteniusaceae. It is native to South America.

Description

An evergreen tree. It grows 10-25 m high. The trunk can be 60 cm across. The branches are large. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are 12-28 cm long. The flowers are small and in the axils of leaves. The fruit is fleshy with a hard stone inside. The fruit is 8 cm long by 5 cm across.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The fleshy pulp has a peculiar taste and aroma, is often served with manioc flour, and can be made into a butter for spreading on bread. The fruit contains 12% oil and is rich in starch. The yellowish fruits are around 7cm long and 5cm wide. An edible oil is obtained from both the fruit pulp and the seed.

Traditional Uses

The fleshy fruit are rich in oil and are edible. Flour is produced from the seeds. The seed oil is used to fry fish. The leaves are used to make a herbal tea.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in regions with 1,700 mm of rain per year. It grows naturally in dryland forest in Brazil.

Where It Grows

Amazon, Brazil*, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, South America, Venezuela,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. Ripe fruit are harvested and put into a heap until they soften then the seeds are removed. Fresh seeds are planted and germinate in 4-6 weeks.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in individual containers. A medium germination rate can be expected, with seeds sprouting within 28–42 days. Plants should be ready to plant out 7–8 months later.

Other Uses

The tree is often interplanted in agroforestry systems with crops such as Brazil nut, cashew, uvilla, and Inga species that grow well in poor clay soils. Children cut the endosperm of the fruit into thin, opaque slices to make toy glasses. The wood is medium to thick-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy and hard, with moderate mechanical properties and not durable. It is suitable for carpentry and internal construction use, and is popular for making charcoal.

Production

Plants grow at a moderate rate.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant. It is widely grown in the Amazon. The fruit are sold in markets in the Amazon.

Notes

The fruit pulp is rich in oil (12%) and starch.

Synonyms

Poraquieba acuminata Tul.

Also Known As

Caniba, Capibare, Guacure, Humari, Ja-o. Llori, Mari, Mari-preto, Umari, Umari-roxo, Yumari, Yuri

References (22)

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Hermandez Bermejo, J.E., and Leon, J. (Eds.), 1994, Neglected Crops. 1492 from a different perspective. FAO Plant Production and Protection Series No 26. FAO, Rome. p 198

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