Common Name: Marmelinho

General Information

Marmelinho is an evergreen tree with a crown that is at first pyramidal, but later becomes globose and sparse[]. It grows 6 - 9 metres tall. The somewhat crooked bole can be 20 - 40cm in diameter[, ].
The edible fruit is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use, but is not highly esteemed because it only contains a small amount of edible pulp[]. The tree is very ornamental and, because of its small size, can be used for street planting under electrical wires[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia to Panama and the Caribbean.

Habitat

Forests, often at higher elevations[]. Often found in moist, rocky soils near streams, usually in the middle of the forest, occasionally along the forest edges[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position[].
Plants have a moderate rate of growth[].
We have seen no individual confirmation for this species, but in general Diospyros species are dioecious and require both male and female forms to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. A thin, mucilaginous pulp with a sweet, pleasant flavour[]. The fruits contain only a small amount of edible pulp[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is fine-textured, straight-grained, heavy, with good mechanical properties and resistant to rot. It is used locally for making tool handles and small objects[].
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 [].

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