Gustavia superba
(Kunth) Berg
Membrillo
(c) Yeoh Thean Kheng, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Gabriela Rogers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gabriela Rogers
(c) Jan Meerman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jan Meerman
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Nuts
The fruit pulp is rich in vitamin A and is considered a delicacy in Colombia. The fruit is orange-coloured and globose, measuring up to 9 x 10cm.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It is native to Central and South America. It grows in rainforests and swampy woodlands. It can tolerate some drought. It grows up to 1,000 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Townsville Anderson BG.
Asia, Australia, Central America*, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Myanmar, Panama, SE Asia, Singapore, South America*,
How to Identify
An evergreen tree. It grows 15 m high. The wood when cut produces a bad smell. The leaves are simple and deep green. They are 128 cm long and broadly sword shaped. They are deeply veined. The flowers are creamy-white to pale pink and 15 cm across. They have 7-9 wavy petals. They have a sweet smell. The fruit are like berries and 10 cm across. They are orange. The pulp is edible. It has seeds buried in it.
Nutrition Score: 26/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 0 | — | — | 15.2 | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
It can be grown from seed or by layering.
Propagation: Seed; Layers
Medicinal Uses
None known
Other Uses
The heartwood is reddish brown, with thick sapwood that is nearly white with darker or nearly black streaks. The wood is straight and fine-grained, hard, heavy, strong, and tough. It splits and works fairly easily, takes an excellent polish, and is used to a limited extent for construction. The plant is also suited to use as a houseplant and in design applications including small flowering tree plantings, humid shade gardens, accents, large pots or planters, courtyards, and conservatories.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Gustavia superba is an understory tree in the family Lecythidaceae, that grows in Central and north-western South America. Common names include membrillo, sachamango, Stinkwood and heaven lotus. The trunk is around 5-10 m high with a rosette of very large leaves radiating from the top (like palms). These leaves can be up to 1.28 m (4 ft 2 in) long by less than 30 cm wide.
Production
It flowers year round.
Notes
There are 41 Gustavia species.
Names & Synonyms
Chope, Chupo, Manteco, Membrillo, Paco, Sachamango, Stinkwood, Tanchaape fintsumi, Tuba
References (19)
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- Murilla, E., et al, 2010, Screening of vegetables and fruits from Panama for rich sources of lutein and zeaxanthin. Food Chemistry 122: 167-172
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- Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 638
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