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Unidentified tropical fruits (Mammea americana?)

Tambo Yanayacu, Iquitos, Peru.

 

Common Names

English: mamey, mammee apple, mamme, mammy-apple, South American apricot, tropical apricot

 

Spanish: mamey, mamey dominicano, mamón de Santo Domingo, mamón de Cartagena

Portuguese: abricó, abricó do Pará

French: abricot de Saint Domingue, abricotier sauvage, apricot d'Amerique

German: Mammiapfel

Indonesia: manggis negri

Malaysia: aprikot

 

Origin and Distribution - Native to the West Indies and northern South America. Cultivated sporadically throughout the tropics.

 

Botanical Synonyms - Mammea emarginata.

 

Description

Large tree, to 50-60 feet (15-18 m) tall, with a straight trunk and a rounded, dense crown. The new bark is bright green and smooth, becoming dark brown and rough with age. All parts of the plant exude yellow latex when wounded. The large, thick leaves are opposite, elliptical, glossy and bright green, from 3-6 inches (8-15 cm) in length and 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) wide. The white, fragrant flowers are solitary or in axillary clusters, and may be perfect or unisexual. The fruit is large and round, 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) in diameter, with a brown rind covering yellow orange pulp. The pulp is firm and slightly juicy, with a pleasant taste reminiscent of apricot or peach. Seeds are large, brown and rough textured, 2.5-3 inches (6.4-8 cm) long, and usually 1-2 per fruit.

 

Cultivars and Related Species - There are few named cultivars of mamey. 'Redland' is a cultivar with perfect flowers.

 

Another Mammea species is M. africana, known as the obota, abricotier d'Afrique, African mammee apple or African apricot, and native to tropical Africa.

 

Uses -

Mamey is primarily consumed fresh, but is also used to make jams, marmalades, pies, tarts and liqueurs.

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Uploaded on May 20, 2009
Taken on February 26, 1999