Common Name: Ibapichuna

General Information

Ibapichuna is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 24 metres tall. The bole can be around 25cm in diameter and is buttressed[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its resin and edible fruit.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia.

Habitat

An understorey tree in the rainforest, growing in sandy soils in areas not subject to inundation[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	0.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - cooked[]. A sharp, tangy taste[]. The fruits are put into a large vessel, covered with water, and placed over a fire to heat slowly to near the boiling point. The fruits can now be eaten by crushing them between the tongue and the roof of the mouth - the creamy-smooth, slightly fibrous pulp is extracted by the tongue from between the crisp exocarp and the bony endocarp. These latter parts are then expelled from the mouth. Much practice is necessary to accomplish this manoeuvre with ease[].
More commonly, the heated fruits are crushed and extracted to prepare an after-dinner beverage. To make this drink, the warm fruits are placed upon a loosely woven sieve basket, with an appropriate container below to catch the extracted pulp. The fruits are then crushed by hand, and warm water is repeatedly added to the mass of pericarp, pulp, and bony endocarp to extract the green pulp. The kneading process continues until most of the pulp has passed through the sieve. The resulting liquid is a resinous, bright green beverage with an appearance similar to thin spinach purée[]. It is not universally enjoyed[].
The mature fruits are oblong-ellipsoid, about 20-25 mm. Long and 13 mm. In diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A resin obtained from the tree burns well and so is used for torches[].

The wood contains 2.96% of silica, perhaps the second highest known silica content for any known American wood[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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