Common Name: Umari

General Information

Poraqueiba sericea is a relatively fast-growing, evergreen tree with a dense, longish, pyramidal crown, reaching a height of 15 - 25 metres, though usually only 4 - 8 metres under cultivation. The straight bole is more or less cylindrical, 30 - 50cm in diameter[, ].
The fruit is a very popular food within the plants native range in the Amazon. It is commonly gathered from the wild for local use, and the tree is also often cultivated in home gardens[, ].
Poraqueiba sericea has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela

Habitat

Rainforest, on land that does not become inundated[]. Usually found in deep, clayey, well-drained soils[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in a sunny position and in dappled shade[]. Trees can grow well in very poor, heavy clay soils[]. Intolerant of flooding[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. Esteemed regionally, especially around Iquitos in Peru, where the fruit is eaten raw and also fermented[]. The fleshy pulp is rich in oil and has a peculiar taste and aroma[, ]. It is often served with manioc flour[], and is made into a 'butter' for spreading on bread[]. The fruit contains 12% oil and is rich in starch[]. The yellowish fruit is around 7cm long and 5cm wide[].

An edible oil is obtained from the fruit pulp and the seed[].

Medicinal

A medicinal tea is made from the leaves[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is often interplanted with crops such as Brazil nut, cashew, uvilla, and Inga species that grow well in poor, clay soils[].

Other Uses

Children cut the endosperm of the fruit into thin, opaque slices to make toy glasses[].

The wood is medium to thick-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, hard, with moderate mechanical properties and not durable[]. It is suitable for carpentry and internal use in construction[, ]. It is popular for making charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in individual containers. A medium germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 28 - 42 days[]. Plants should be ready to plant out 7 - 8 months later[].

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