Randia echinocarpa
Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
Rubiaceae
Basanacantha echinocarpa (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) Bullock
Genipa echinocarpa (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) A.Gray
Solena echinocarpa (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) D.Dietr.
Common Name: Shacua
General Information
Randia echinocarpa is a shrub or small tree usually growing around 3 - 4 metres tall, occasionally up to 6 metres. The plant has spines in bunches of fours at the ends of the branches[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
,
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1982- Title
- Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
- Publisher
- D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-607-2-00034-6
- Description
- A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. The edible fruit is much appreciated, especially in the state of Guerrero, where it is often gathered from the wild.
In spite of the potential threats to its habitat, Randia echinocarpa is an adaptable species that has a wide distribution. It has established without survival problems throughout its distribution range. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
1982- Title
- Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
- Publisher
- D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-607-2-00034-6
- Description
- A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
Range
Southern N. America - westerm Mexico from Sonora and Chihuahua southwards, El Salvador
Habitat
Dry thickets and hillsides. Low deciduous forest, in shallow, sandy-clayey soil, sometimes also found in secondary vegetation associated with Mimosa sp. and Amphipterygium adstringens; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 4.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of semi-arid regions at low to medium elevations in the subtropics and tropics of Mexico.
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
1982- Title
- Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
- Publisher
- D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-607-2-00034-6
- Description
- A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The pulp is a black, pudding-like mass congested with seeds and with a rich, bitter-sweet flavour[
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
]. Children especially enjoy them[
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
]. The green to yellow, subglobose fruits are around 50 - 80mm long and 45 - 90mm wide with wart-like bumps on the skin[
,
1982- Title
- Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
- Publisher
- D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-607-2-00034-6
- Description
- A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
].
The fruits are gathered as soon as they begin to ripen - if left on the trees any longer then birds and mammals will soon devour them[
1981- Title
- Rio Mayo Plants - A study of the flora and vegetation of the valley of the Rio Mayo, Sonora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gentry H.S.
- Publisher
- Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington DC
- Year
- 1942
- ISBN
-
- Description
- One of my favourite authors on native plants, often including their uses. This is an excellent example with lots of information, even though the book is 80 years old.
].
The chopped, ground and boiled bark is used as a catalyst in the preparation of 'tesguino', a local alcoholic beverage[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Medicinal
The fruit is considered to be a remedy for malaria[
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A decoction of the leaves is prescribed against urinary diseases[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
,
].
The flowers, together with a little salt, are boiled and the liquid used as ear drops to treat otitis[
]. The liquid can also be used in the nostrils to treat rhinitis[
].
The fruit is used as an abortifacient[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
,
]. The fruit is used to relieve inflammation of the kidneys[
1982- Title
- Flora de Guerrero; No. 35. Coussareae, Gardenieae, Hedyotideae, Mussaendeae, Naucleae, Rondeletieae (Rubiaceae)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Borhidi A. & Diego-Pérez N.
- Publisher
- D. R. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico
- Year
- 2008
- ISBN
- 978-607-2-00034-6
- Description
- A very good flora, in Spanish, it often also lists plant uses. All published volumes have been made available to download.
]
The plant (part not specified) is also used in the treatment of a range of other conditions including anaemia, diabetes, chest pain, bronchitis, rheumatism, waist pain, internal bumps, malaria, diarrhoea and haemorrhoids[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
