Common Name: Caqui Do Mato

General Information

Caqui do mato is a semi-deciduous tree with a dense, longish growing 6 - 10 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 25 - 45cm in diameter[, ].
The edible fruit is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use, though it is not widely appreciated[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - southern and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Found in both primary and secondary formations of semi-deciduous forests, and areas of transition to savannah, growing on slopes and plains where the soil is fertile and rich in organic matter[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	8.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. A thin, mucilaginous pulp with a slightly sweet flavour[]. The yellow-green, globose fruit is up to 8cm in diameter[]. There is only a little pulp in the fruit and it is quite difficult to extract[]. The seeds contain 6 - 10 seeds[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is fine to medium-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, soft and moderately durable. It is used for internal applications in general construction, cabinet making, tool handles etc[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a very short viability and so should be sown as soon as possible[]. The flesh should be removed since this contains germination inhibitors[]. Sow the seed in a shady position in a nursery seedbed. The sowing media for ebony uses soil and fine sand at the ratio 3:1. The seed is planted horizontally or vertically with
the radicle end down, with a sowing depth of 1 - 1½ times the thickness of seed. Distance between the seeds is 3 - 5cm. Seeds are very sensitive to desiccation during germination and early growth, so must be regularly watered at this time[]. Normally the seed will germinate after one week. In one trial, fresh seed, sown one day after collection, showed 85% germination rate within 17 - 65 days[].
As a rule fresh seeds have a high percentage of fertility. The seedlings develop long taproots at an early stage, often before any appreciable elongation of the shoot takes place. The growth of the seedling is decidedly slow [].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: How many fingers does the typical human have?