''Caryocar nuciferum'', the butter-nut of Guiana, is a fruit tree native to Central and South America.

Description

''Caryocar nuciferum'' grows up to in humid forests. Flowers are

hermaphroditic A hermaphrodite () is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic. The individuals of many ...

and in small clusters. The large coconut-sized fruit, weighs about , is round or pear-shaped some in diameter, and greyish-brown in colour. The outer skin is leathery, about thick, and covered in rust-coloured lenticels. The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition (1911) calls the fruit "perhaps the finest of all

hose A hose is a flexible hollow tube or pipe designed to carry fluids from one location to another, often from a faucet or hydrant. Early hoses were made of leather, although modern hoses are typically made of rubber, canvas, and helically wound w ...

called nuts. The kernel is large, soft, and even sweeter than the almond, which it somewhat resembles in taste." Pulp of the mesocarp is oily and sticky, holding 1–4 hard, woody, warty stones, with tasty, reniform

endocarp Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Fruitlike structures may develop directly from the seed itself rather th ...

Taxonomy

''Caryocar nuciferum'' is illustrated and discussed in detail in ''

Curtis's Botanical Magazine ''The Botanical Magazine; or Flower-Garden Displayed'', is an illustrated publication which began in 1787. The longest running botanical magazine, it is widely referred to by the subsequent name ''Curtis's Botanical Magazine''. Each of the issue ...

'' volume 54 (1827), and figured o
plates 2727 and 2728
using material sent from the island of Saint Vincent by

Lansdown Guilding Lansdown Guilding (9 May 1797 – 22 October 1831) was a theologian and naturalist. He is best known for his works on the flora and fauna of St Vincent in particular and on the Caribbean in general. He wrote numerous illustrated papers for journal ...

. It is also known as pekea-nut, or – like all other species of ''

Caryocar ''Caryocar'' (souari trees) is a genus of flowering plants, in the South American family Caryocaraceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1771. It is native primarily to South America with a few species extending into Central America and the We ...

'' with edible nuts – "souari-nut" or "sawarri-nut".

Distr

The species is native to

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

, northern

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

, and

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

Uses

The endocarp is eaten raw or roasted, and produces a nondrying

edible oil Cooking oil (also known as edible oil) is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing he ...

. The wood is durable and used for

boat building Boat building is the design and construction of boats (instead of the larger ships) — and their on-board systems. This includes at minimum the construction of a hull, with any necessary propulsion, mechanical, navigation, safety and other ser ...

. The correctly expressed oil of its nuts produces an effective healing balm.

References

External links

CIRAD-FLHOR/IPGRI Project for Neotropical Fruits: ''Caryocar nuciferum''
nuciferum Flora of Brazil Flora of Colombia Flora of Costa Rica Flora of Panama Flora of Venezuela {{Malpighiales-stub