LEMON DROP MANGOSTEEN (Garcinia edulis) A tree of lemon drop mangosteen Family: Clusiaceae (Formerly Guttiferae) Synonyms: Rheedia intermedia, Calophyllum edule, Garcinia intermedia Other names: Achachairu mameyito, sastra, monkey fruit, cherry mangosteen, Charichuelo Lemon drop mangosteen is a fruit from Southern Mexico and Central America.  It is cultivated on small scale in many countries like Belize, Costa Rica,

MAMEY SAPOTE (Pouteria sapote) A tree of mamey sapote   Family: Sapotaceae Synonyms: Calopcarpum sapota, Calocarpum mammosum, Pouteria mammosa Other names: Mamae Mamey sapote occurs wild in the humid lowlands of Central America and southern Mexico. It is a fruit of very ancient cultivation and was and an important fruit in

American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)  A shrub of American beautiberry   Family: Verbenaceae Other names: French Mulberry American beautyberry is a native of America.  Its plants occur naturally from Maryland, south to Florida, and southwesterly into Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas. It also grows in Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and Cuba. It inhabits relatively

RATTAN FRUIT (Daemonorops draco) A tree of rattan fruit   Family: Arecaceae Synonyms: Calamus draco Other names: Draconis Palm, Dragons blood, Rattan fruit is a palm from lowland tropical areas.  In India, it grows in Andaman Islands.  Though fruits of this tree are edible yet it is known and cultivated not for

LUQATA SIGMAMA (Cadaba farinosa) A portion of luqata sigmama shrub   Family: Capparidaceae Synonyms: Cadaba mombassana Other names: Bagayi, Herd’s boy fruit, serein. Luqata sigmama is a fruit from Africa.  It grows all over Africa right from Ethiopia to Angola.  It has spread even to Egypt, Saudi Arabia.             It bears

AFRICAN CANARIUM (Canarium schweinfurthii)    A tree of African canarium   Family: Burseraceae Synonyms: Canarium chevalieri, Canarium khiala, Canarium occidentale Other names: Nde, Mbele, white mahagony. African canarium is a wild growing tree which produces fruit similar to olive.  It is widely distributed in East, Central, and West Africa.  It has also

KOUSA DOGWOOD(Cornus kousa) A tree of kousa dogwood Family: Cornaceae Synonyms: Benthamidia kousa Other names: Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood Kousa dogwood is a native of South China.  Though the fruits are edible and eaten by local people too, yet kousa dogwood is planted in gardens as an ornamentals plant.  It is

NANCE (Byrsonima crassifolia) A tree of nance  Family:  Malpighiaceae, Simaroubaceae Synonyms: Byrsonima cubensis Juss., Malpighia crassifolia L. Other names: Chachunga, golden spoon, savanna serrette. Nance is native to tropical America.  It is abundant in the wild from southern Mexico, through the Pacific side of Central America, to Peru and Brazil; also

WOOLY JELLY PALM (Butia eriospatha) A tree of wooly jelly palm Family: Arecaceae Synonyms: Cocos eriospatha Other names: Butia-valedo Wooly jelly palm is a very beautiful palm growing in the hills in South Brazil.  It is the most hardy palm in its genus. It has a typical and distinct woolly appearance on

GULGUTIA  (Protium serratum) A part of gulgutia tree in full bloom   Family: Burseraceae Synonyms: Bursera serrata Other names: Indian red pear, limbura, nimbura mai, Gulgutia is a wild growing fruit of warmer regions.  In India, it grows in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West