Mouriri pusa
Gardner
Melastomataceae
Common Name: Puca
Fruit, cut open to reveal seed and flesh
Photograph by: Conrado
General Information
Mouriri pusa is a semi-deciduous tree with a small, sparse crown; it can grow 4 - 8 metres tall. The short, crooked bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter, and is covered in a thick, corky bark[
416- Title
- Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 85-867174-24-0
- Description
- A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
,
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
The edible fruit is gathered from the wild and consumed locally, where it is greatly appreciated. It is sometimes sold in local markets[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - central, eastern and northern Brazil, Bolivia.
Habitat
Scrubland and rocky, sandy grassland[
416- Title
- Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 85-867174-24-0
- Description
- A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
,
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Semi-deciduous Tree |
| Height | 6.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a sunny position[
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
A slow-growing plant[
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
416- Title
- Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 85-867174-24-0
- Description
- A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
]. The thin-skinned fruit has a succulent, sweet-tasting, pleasant, yellow pulp[
416- Title
- Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 85-867174-24-0
- Description
- A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
,
626- Title
- Influence of extracts of Stryphnodendron polyphyllum and S.obovatum on the cicatrisation of cutaneous wounds in rats
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lopes G.C. et al
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology
- Year
- 2005 (June)
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A research paper into the effectiveness of two species of plants at healing wounds.
]. A fine flavour[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The globose fruits are 25mm or more in diameter, containing 1 - 4 seeds[
416- Title
- Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 85-867174-24-0
- Description
- A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
,
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Medicinal
The leaves are commonly used by people living in the Cerrados of Brazil to treat gastrointestinal disturbances[
449- Title
- Anti-hemorrhagic Activity of Four Brazilian Vegetable Species
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nishijima C.M.; Hiruma-Lima C.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules
- Publisher
- Molecules; Basel
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 1420-3049
- Description
- Research paper on the use of flavones in four Brazilian plant species to treat haemorrhaging as a result of snake bites. An open source document, available online.
].
The leaves are rich in flavonoids, mainly kaempferol, myricetin, and flavonoids derived from quercetin. These compounds have been shown to have an antihaemorrhagic and antidote effect when used in the treatment of snake bites[
449- Title
- Anti-hemorrhagic Activity of Four Brazilian Vegetable Species
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nishijima C.M.; Hiruma-Lima C.A. Et al
- Website
- http://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules
- Publisher
- Molecules; Basel
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 1420-3049
- Description
- Research paper on the use of flavones in four Brazilian plant species to treat haemorrhaging as a result of snake bites. An open source document, available online.
].
The leaves have been shown to have a protective effect on the gastric lining and a healing action on gastric ulcers[
450- Title
- Studies of gastric mucosa regeneration and safety promoted by Mouriri pusa treatment in acetic acid ulcer model.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vasconcelos PC, Kushima H, et al
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology;
- Year
- 2008 Jan 17;115(2):293-301. Epub 2007 Oct 10.
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A research paper, studying the ability of Mouriri pusa to protect the stomach from gastric ulcers and promote the healing of existing ulcers.
].
Other Uses
The wood is coarse-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, with a low resistance to wood-eating organisms. Hard to cut, and of small dimensions, it is only used for fuel and to make charcoal[
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of around 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 70 - 90 days[
625- Title
- Brazilian Trees. Volume 3.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lorenzi. H.
- Publisher
- Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil.
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 85-86714-34-4
- Description
- Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
