From the book Fruits of Warm Climates
by Julia F. Morton




Bacuripari
Rheedia macrophylla Planch. & Triana
GUTTIFERAE


The bacuripari, R. macrophylla Planch. & Triana, is also called bacury-pary in Brazil; charichuela in Peru.

It is a pyramidal tree, 26 to 40 ft (8-12 m) tall, with stiff, leathery, lanceolate-oblong or broad-lanceolate leaves, 12 to 18 in (30-45 cm) long and 3 to 7 in (8-18 cm) wide, pointed at both ends, with numerous lateral, nearly horizontal veins. New foliage is maroon. The 4-petalled, male and female flowers are home in small axillary clusters on separate trees, the male on delicate stalks to 1 1/2 in (4 cm) long and having numerous stamens, the female on thick, short stalks and sometimes having a few stamens with sterile anthers.

The fruit is rounded-conical, pointed at one or both ends, about 3 3/16 in (8 cm) wide, with thick yellow rind, usually smooth, sometimes rough, containing gummy yellow latex. The white, aril-like pulp, agreeably subacid, encloses 3 to 4 oblong seeds.

The tree is native to humid forests of Surinam and Brazil to northern Peru. The fruit is not much esteemed but widely eaten and sold in native markets. The bacuripari was introduced into Florida in 1962 and planted at the Agricultural Research and Education Center in Homestead, at Fairchild Tropical Garden and in several private gardens. One tree fruited in 1970, another in 1972, and the latter has continued to bear. Young specimens have been killed by drops in temperature to 29º to 30º F (-1.67º--1.11º C). Older trees have been little harmed by 27º to 28º F (-2.78º--2.22º C). The tree is accustomed to light-to moderate-shade. Seeds have remained viable for 2 to 3 weeks but require several weeks to germinate.

In Brazil, the tree blooms from August to November and the fruits mature from December to May. In Florida, flowers appear in April and May and a second time in August and September, and the fruits are in season from May to August and again in October and November. Some 15-to 20-year-old trees have produced 100 to 200 fruits when there have been no adverse weather conditions.



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 Bacuripari Page



Bibliography

Fruits of Warm Climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, 1987.

Published 12 Apr. 2014 LR. Last update 26 July 2014 LR
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