''Chrysophyllum cainito'' is a tropical tree of the family

Sapotaceae 240px, '' Madhuca longifolia'' var. ''latifolia'' in Narsapur, Medak district, India The Sapotaceae are a family of flowering plants belonging to the order (biology)">order Ericales">family (biology)">family of flowering plants belonging to th ...

. It is native to the

Isthmus of Panama The Isthmus of Panama, historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North America, North and South America. The country of Panama is located on the i ...

, where it was domesticated. It has spread to the

Greater Antilles The Greater Antilles is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, together with Navassa Island and the Cayman Islands. Seven island states share the region of the Greater Antille ...

and the

West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...

and is now grown throughout the tropics, including Southeast Asia. It grows rapidly and reaches 20 meters in height.

Name

The common names cainito and caimito likely come from the Mayan words (juice), (breast), and (sap), via Spanish. Star apple is a common name. It is also known as the purple apple.

Description

Tree

The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

alternate Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * Alternative comics, or independent comics are an alternative to mainstream superh ...

, simple oval, entire, 5–15 cm long; the underside shines with a golden color when seen from a distance. The tiny

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are purplish white and have a sweet fragrant smell. The tree is also hermaphroditic (self-fertile). It produces a strong odor.

Fruit

The fruit is globose and typically measures from 2 to 3 inches in diameter. When ripe, it usually has purple skin with a faint green area appearing around the calyx. A radiating star pattern is visible in the pulp. Greenish-white and yellow-fruited cultivars are sometimes available. The skin is rich in latex, and both it and the rind are not edible. The flattened

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s are light brown and hard. It is a seasonal fruit bearing tree. The fruits are used as a fresh dessert fruit; it is sweet and often served chilled. The fruit also exists in three colors, dark purple, greenish brown and yellow. The purple fruit has a denser skin and texture while the greenish brown fruit has a thin skin and a more liquid pulp; the yellow variety is less common. A number of related species, also called star apples, are grown in Africa including '' Gambeya albida'' and '' G. africana''.

Gallery

File:Chrysophyllum cainito0.jpg, Cainito fruit cut in half File:Star Apple (Kaimito).jpg, Freshly plucked cainitos File:Starr 070906-8589 Chrysophyllum cainito.jpg, Leaves File:Chryso caini 071010-0476 jtg.jpg, Fruits, usually purple, may also be green or red

References

External links

Dept. of Horticulture Purdue University

* Vietnamese name of Chrysophyllum cainito i
vú sữa
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1612679 cainito Edible fruits Flora of Panama Flora without expected TNC conservation status Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus