BAIROLA (Cordia vestita) An inflorescence of bairola   Family: Boraginaceae Synonyms: Cordia incana Other names: Kumpaiman, Lassuri Bairola is a medium sized tree that grows wild in North India and Pakistan.  This is, however, not a plant of very common occurrence. Bairola  bears small fruits which are eaten mostly by children.  This plant seems

ZIRICOTE (Cordia dodecandra) A tree of zericote Family: Boraginaceae Other names: Ciricote, copite, cupate Ziricote is an edible fruit bearing tree from Central America.  Besides growing wild its trees are also planted in home gardens, especially those of Mayans.  This tree is important culturally among Mayan people. Foliage of zericote            

OTAYITA (Cordia Africana) A tree of otayita    Family: Boraginaceae Synonyms: Cordia abyssinica, Cordia holstii, Cordia ubanghensis Other names: Sudan teak, gambil, wanza Otayita is a fruit from Africa.  It occurs nearly all over the continent at medium to low altitudes, in woodland, savannah and bush, in warm and moist areas,

CAPE SUMACH (Osyris compressa)    Cape sumach plant   Family : Santalaceae Synonym: Colpoon compressum Common names : Coastal tannin bush, wildepruim, wurgbessie, basbessie, kuslooibas, mtekaaza, umbalanythi, umbulanyathi. Cape sumach is a very decorative and useful plant, edible fruitbearing plant of Africa in cultivation as well as in its natural habitat. It is a

SEAGRAPE (Coccoloba uvifera) A tree of seagrape   Family: Polygonaceae Seagrape is a native of Tropical America.  It can be seen in coastal hammocks, coastal scrub, coastal grasslands and beach strands from North Argentina throughout the West Indies and the Florida Keys to Pinellas County on the Gulf Coast and southern

CAMASEY PELUDO (Clidemia cymosa) A portion of camesey peludo plant Family: Melastomataceae Synonyms: Heterotrichum cymosum, Melastoma cymosa,  Heterotrichum eggersii Other names: Pelúa, terciopelo. Camasey peludo is a very little known small fruit from Central America.  Botanists believe it to be endemic to Puerto Rico where it grows mainly in the Luquillo

MA-KIANG (Cleistocalyx operculatus) A tree of ma kiang  Family: Myrtaceae Synonyms:  Cleistocalyx nervosum, Eugenia paniala Ma-kiang is from South East Asia.  The precise origin of this plant is not known.  It grows in South China, Northern Thailand, and Vietnam etc.  Though they make a tea kind of drink from its leaves and buds, which said to

WAMPEE (Clausena lansium) A tree of wampee Family: Rutaceae Synonyms: Clausena wampi, Clausena punctata Other names: Hoang bi, kantrop, mafai chin Wampee is believed to be native of Southern China.  It is commonly cultivated in Southern China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.  It is occasionally grown

MALAYAN KUMQUAT (Fortunella polyandra) A tree of Malayan kumquat Family: Rutaceae Synonym:  Citrus swinglei Other names: Limau pagar, hainan. Malayan kumquat is a native Peninsular Malaysia.  It is not known much outside South East Asia. Description: Evergreen shrub or a small tree, 3-5 m tall, branches angular when young, rounded when

UGLI FRUIT (Citrus paradisi x Citrus reticulata) A portion of ugli fruit tree Family: Rutaceae Ugli fruit is an unattractive looking mottled green and yellow citrus fruit.   It is a tangelo, which are natural hybrids between a mandarin and grape fruit. Ugli is native to the island of Jamaica in the