Blighia sapida
Blighia sapida
Safety & Hazards
Great care should be exercised if eating this fruit. It must only be eaten when fully ripe since both before and after that stage it is considered to be poisonous[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. A toxic peptide, hypoglycine A, is contained in the unripe aril[ 307 Title Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. Publication Author Barwick. M. Publisher Thames & Hudson, London Year 2004 ISBN 0-500-51181-0 Description A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life. ]. The pink raphe that attaches the aril to its seed is deadly toxic and must be carefully and completely removed[ 307 Title Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. Publication Author Barwick. M. Publisher Thames & Hudson, London Year 2004 ISBN 0-500-51181-0 Description A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life. ]. The pounded fruit is used as fish poison[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].
Botanical Description
Blighia sapida is an evergreen tree with a frondose crown, that can grow from 7 - 25 metres tall[ 335 Title Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics : an Inventory Publication Author Martin, F. W.; Campbell, C. W.; Rubertbe, R. M. Publisher U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Year 1987 ISBN Description A booklet giving terse details of almost 300 species of edible fruits, plus regional lists of Botanical and Common names for over 2,500 less well-known edible fruits of the tropics. , 416 Title Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics Publication Author Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. Year 2000 ISBN 85-867174-24-0 Description A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. It has a long, but not cylindrical, bole[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. The bole can be branchless for up to 15 metres and straight and cylindrical, but more often it is much shorter and crooked or twisted, up to 80cm in diameter, often with small buttresses[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. A multipurpose tree, providing food, medicines and various commodities for the local populace. The tree is often cultivated for its edible fruit in many areas of the tropics and subtropics, especially in the Caribbean[ 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. ]. It has fragrant flowers and so is also grown as an ornamental and shade tree[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 416 Title Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics Publication Author Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. Publisher Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. Year 2000 ISBN 85-867174-24-0 Description A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits. ]. The plant was introduced to Jamaica by Captain Bligh in 1793 to furnish food for the slaves, and spread from there to other tropical American countries[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. Importation to the USA has been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].