Characteristics
A medium sized tree. It grows 20 m tall. The trunk can be slightly fluted. The leaves are simple and alternate. The leaves are clustered at the ends of branches and arranged in spirals. They are 6-20 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. The leaves are widest above the middle. The leaves are silvery underneath. The flowers are small and in clusters on the branches below the leaves. There are 2-10 in a group. The fruit are round with a short sharp point. They are 3-9 cm long. The fruit turn yellow when ripe. There can be one or several seeds.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
tree
|
| Growth support |
free-standing
|
| Foliage retention |
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
17.5
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
c3
|
Environment
A tropical plant. It grows in wet forests. It is often along river banks and in flooded land. It grows from sea level to 1,300 m above sea level. It is native to Mexico and El Salvador. It can grow on limestone soils.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The ripe fruit are eaten fresh. Some kinds are sweet and eaten raw. They can cause constipation if eaten in large amounts.
| Uses |
-
|
| Edible
|
fruits
nuts
seeds
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Can be grown by seedlings.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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