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Common names: jackfruit (English); nongka (Java); lamasa, malasa (Sumatra); khanum (Thailand); jaca (Spanish); jaqueira, jaca (Portuguese). Origin: Tropical Asia. Distribution: Pantropic. Cultural requirements: Hot, humid tropical climate. Grows well in variety of soils if well drained. Not tolerant of frost. Description: Tree to 25 m. Propagation by seed, grafting. Generally flowers June-July and December-February in Florida. Fruit matures in 180-200 days. Fruit 30-90 cm long, 25-50 cm in diameter, to 60 kg but usually 20-25 kg; external color yellowish, internal yellow. Utilization: Entire immature fruit cooked. Aril of mature fruit eaten fresh, preserved. Seeds roasted, boiled. Flavor sweet, strongly aromatic. Not widely esteemed outside Asia. Fair potential for wider cultivation in Tropics if good varieties introduced from Asia. References: Burkill 1935, Molesworth Allen 1967, Ochse at al. 1961. Artocarpus odoratissima Blanco Common name: Marang (English, Philippines). Origin: Southeast Asia, Philippines. Distribution: Southeast Asia, Philippines. Cultural requirements: Hot, wet tropical lowlands. Description: Tree. Propagation by seed, grafting. Fruit production in 6 years from seed. Utilization: Aril of mature fruit eaten fresh, preserved. Flavor sweet, aromatic; general appeal. Source of iron, vitamin C. Good potential for introduction into other areas of Tropics. Reference: Burkill 1935. Artocarpus rigidus Blume Common name: monkey jack (English). Origin, Tropical Asia. Distribution: Tropical Asia. Cultural requirements: Hot tropical climate. Description: Large tree. Propagation by seed. Fruit pulp yellow. Utilization: Aril of mature fruit eaten fresh. Seeds roasted. Flavor sweet. Needs further trial to determine potential. Reference: Burkill 1935. |
Brosimum alicastrum
Sw. Common names: Maya breadnut (English); ramón, nuez de pan (Spanish); noyer a pain (French). Origin: Mexico, Central America. Distribution: Tropical America. Cultural requirements: Hot, humid tropical climate with seasonal dry period. Tolerant of a variety of soils, seasonal flooding. Grows especially well in shallow calcareous soils. Description: Tree to 30 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit production in 5-6 years. Two or three periods of bloom and fruiting per year in Florida. Fruit spherical to ellipsoid, 2-2.5 cm in diameter, exterior color orange. Pulp scant, seed large. Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh; seed eaten fresh, cooked. Flavor of pulp sweet; seed has some bitterness unless cooked. Moderate appeal. Little potential for development. References: Cook 1935, Fairchild 1945, Fouqué 1974. Ficus carica L. Common names: fig (English); higo (Spanish); figue (French); figo (Portuguese). Origin: Asia. Distribution: Subtropics, cool Tropics. Cultural requirements: Develops best in relatively dry climate where cool season alternates with hot season. Tolerant of a variety of soil conditions. Tolerant of temperatures below freezing when dormant. Fruiting poor in areas of high rainfall. Description: Small tree. Propagation by seed, cuttings, grafting. Fruit production in 3-4 years from seed, 1-2 years from vegetative propagation. Most types produce 2-3 crops of fruit per year Pollina-tion required for Smyrna type; other types par-thenocarpic. Fruit pyriform, 2.5-6 cm in diameter; external color green, yellow, red, or purple; internal color whitish, yellowish, or pink. Utilization: Syconium eaten fresh, dried, preserved, stewed. Flavor sweet; universal appeal. Potential as home garden and commercial crop great in areas where adapted to climate. Many varieties selected in subtropical areas of world. Research on culture in U.S.A. (California, Florida, Louisiana). References: Krezdorn and Adriance 1961, Storey and Condit 1969. Pourouma cecropiaefolia Mart. Common names: Amazon tree grape (English); uvilla (Spanish); mapati, puruma, uva-da-mata (Portuguese). Origin: South America. Distribution: South America. |
© MMIV - Volume 1 Number 4 Whole Number 4 Tropical Visions August 2004