Casearia nitida
Casearia nitida
Safety & Hazards
The fruit is a capsute containing several seeds. Although the capsule of some species (and possibly also the seeds contained therein) is somewhat toxic, the fleshy aril surrounding the seeds is a different matter and in some species (see information below on edibility to see if this is one of them) is often eaten and is considered to be perfectly wholesome[1, PFAF].
Cultivation Details
The flowers are fragrant[2].
Propagation
The seed of species in this genus often has a short period of viability and so is best sown as soon as it is ripe. The seed is collected when the fruits start to open - leave them in the sun to open completely to release the seed, then rinse the seed in water to remove the arils[3]. Sow the seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed, only just covering the seed, and keep moist. Germination rates vary, but can usually be expected to be low, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 30 days[4]. When the seedlings are 3 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out a few months later[4]. Cuttings. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Casearia+nitida>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North, — Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M. · 2014 ↩︎A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
- [2]Flora of Jamaica — Fawcett. W. & Rendle. A. B. · British Museum · 1910 ↩︎Rather dated, so many name changes. Nevertheless, a very good guide to the plants of the Caribbean. The book is out of copyright and can be legally downloaded from various websites.
- [3]Iracambi Medicinal Plants — Gallia. E. · 2003 · http://www.iracambi.com/english/herbarium.shtml ↩︎Basic iInformation on 14 plants of the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil.
- [4]Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-17-8 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
- [5]Anthropological Papers Nos. 27 - 32 — US Government Printing Office; Washington. · 1943 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎A series of papers, including one looking at 100 often used native plants of the Yucatan.
- [6]The Bahama Flora — Britton N.L.; Millspaugh C.F. · Britton N.L.; Millspaugh C.F., New York. · 1920 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎A botanical description, often accompanied by the plants habitat, of the Flora of the Bahamas.
- [7]O Gênero Casearia Jacq. No Brasil — Marquete R. & Mansana V.F. · 2016 ↩︎
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎