Spondias purpurea L.

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Spondias purpura is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico to northern Colombia and the southwest Caribbean Islands. It has also been introduced to and naturalized to other parts of the American tropics, Southeast Asia, and West Africa. It is commonly known as jocote, which derives from the Nahuatl word xocotl, meaning any kind of sour or acidic fruit. Other common names include red mombin, Spanish plum, purple mombin, Jamaica plum, and hog plum.

Names

In countries where they are native, jocotes are also known more widely as jocote, ciruela, ciruelo, chiabal, cirgüela, or jobo (Mexico); ciruela calentana or ciruela huesito (Venezuela, Colombia); jocote tronador or sismoyo (Costa Rica); jobo (Honduras); jocote comun (Nicaragua); ciruela or ciruela traqueadora (Panama); ciriguela or jobito (Ecuador); and jocote, jobo, or pitarrillo (El Salvador).[5][6][4] They were also introduced very early to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era, where they are known as siniguelas, sineguelas, siriguelas, or sirhuelas (from Philippine Spanish ciruela or cirigüela).

Jocotes were also introduced to other parts of South America and the Caribbean, where they are known as ciroelo, ciriguela, ceriguela, seriguela, or siriguela, cirigüeleira, caya, ambu, imbu, or umbu (Brazil); ciruela campechana (Cuba); jobillo or jobo francés (Puerto Rico); ajuela ciruelo (Peru); cironelle (Haiti); and maka pruim (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao).

Distribution

Jocotes are native to the central tropical regions of the Americas. The countries where wild populations are found include Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

They have been introduced and naturalized elsewhere in the Americas, including the Bahamas, Bolivia, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Florida, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Leeward Islands, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and the Windward Islands. They were introduced to Tropical Asia via the Philippines, including Java (Indonesia) and Bangladesh. They have also been introduced to West Africa, in Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal.

Description

S. purpurea fruit grow on deciduous trees in warm tropical climates. They begin to develop following tiny red flowers, before any leaves appear on the tree. S. purpurea fruit grows along thick, knobby branches in clusters or alone. They are about 2 and a half to 5 centimeters in diameter and are slightly elongated. Some have a knob on the end, or are oddly shaped. Young S. purpurea fruit are green or yellowish-green and ripen to a purple or red color; some variants of the species will ripen to a yellow color.

The thin skin has a waxy appearance and is edible. The pulp is yellow when ripe and sweet. In the center of the fruit is a large pit, or stone, which is inedible. The flavor of a S. purpurea fruit is said to be similar to a plum, sweet with a bit of an acidic aftertaste. S. purpurea fruit is available in the fall and winter months. S. purpurea fruit are rich in vitamin C and carbohydrates. They are a source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and a small amount of fiber. They contain carotene, B-complex vitamins, and several important amino acids. S. purpurea are high in antioxidants, which help rid the body of free radicals.

Spondias purpurea - Wikipedia