Melastomataceae FAMILY

Bellucia pentamera

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Manzana de montana is a small tree with a rounded crown; it can grow 6 - 8 metres tall[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The edible fruit is gathered from the wild for local use. The tree is sometimes cultivated for its fruit, and is also grown outside its native range, especially in Indonesia[ 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, north to the Caribbean and through Central America to Mexico.

HabitatWet mixed forest, sometimes in open pine forest, or in pastures, at elevations lower than 300 metres[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].