in the tropics - the british countryside at your … to factor in rising tides, plus a host of bugs...

1

WILD FOOD SCHOOL

FORAGINGIN THE

TROPICS

2

Pictures Copyright © their respective originators.

Please respect their individual copyright.

Version 1.0 – November 2010

The format of the pages in this E-guide are designedso that the images can be printed out on standard 10x 15 cm photo paper, then bound. You may like tolaminate your printouts for durability. On the otherhand you might just like to keep this file on yourmobile phone, personal organiser or laptop.

Text Copyright © Marcus Harrison, 2010

3

INTRODUCTION

The world of edible ‘wild’ foods is such anexciting frontier to be involved with that this verysmall E-book has been produced to introducefolks to edible tropical fruits and fruit products…It is only meant to provide a brief snapshot ofwhat is available in the tropics and not intendedto be a definitive guide to the subject. It must besaid, also, that many of the species covered inthis E-book are in quite general use as daily foodsin many parts of the world, but being able toidentify them in the wild could be of use totravellers backpacking in far off places.

In some cases the species are found injungle or tropical-type forest habitats. That,however, does not mean that a tree found on its‘lonesome’ does not belong to a person, family,or local community – the rural communities ofmany cultures not having the Western concept offencing off what belongs to them, particularly inareas of forest or open rangeland. So, do be awareof that…

If you are lucky enough to live in a largeCity then just maybe you can find some of thefruit products in this E-book are available, or ifyou travel abroad to the regions covered youmay well find them being sold in local markets.

4

Please DO try them (providing that you getcorrect preparation details).

Finally, a big thank you to everyone whohas made their pictures available to illustrate thisE-book, particularly the photographic libraries of theFood and Agriculture Organization of the UnitedNations (FAO) and US Department of Agriculture,and those individuals who have generously madetheir work available in a spirit of spreadingknowledge and enlightenment. At some stage inthe future it is intended to expand this E-bookfurther, so anyone wishing to contribute pictureupdates or images of tropical fruiting species notincluded in this first edition please get in touch.

Marcus HarrisonNovember, 2010

5

FORAGING IN THE TROPICS...

Let’s imagine that you are marooned on a tropicalshore, miles away from your regular comfort foodand life’s luxuries. What would you eat? Moreprecisely, would you know what to eat? Of coursethere might be edible seaweeds available aroundthe coastal area, and various fish and shellfish tohand as well. And then there’s the shoreline withits exotic vegetation, and the foraging potential ofthe hinterland behind the shoreline.

Or perhaps you are travelling in the tropicsby car and it breaks down miles from humancontact. Would you recognise the fruits aroundyou that could sustain you until rescue arrives oryou find help? Well this E-book is designed tofamiliarise you with a variety of tropical fruitsthat might help you get along, plus a few othersthat you may like to explore simply as foodstuffs.

To begin with it should be understood thatthe tropics cover a vast swathe of the planetbetween the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn andincludes some of the most luxuriant rain forest(jungle) in the equitorial regions but also theinhospitable desert regions of the Sahara andArabia towards the northern aspect.

In fact the type of habitats within the tropicsvaries enormously. At the equator, which receives

6

the full blast of the sun’s rays overhead, flat androlling inland areas away from coastal winds candevelop into full ‘primary’ tropical rainforest.These are forests untouched by Man, their talltrees producing such a dark and gloomyenvironment below that much vegetation finds itdifficult to grow. However, with a relativelyuniform and high temperature, plus humidity atover 80%, vegetation grows fast where light canpenetrate the tree canopy (for example, wherea tree collapses or a river or stream and providesa natural break for the ingress of light).

On steep slopes the lateral aspect of the suncan sometimes provide better illumination for theplants below, making vegetative growth possiblewhere it would otherwise not be the case.

Another type of tropical rainforest (Secondary)exists where Man has cleared the jungle through‘slash and burn’ in an effort to provide cultivatedfood. When the soil is no longer fertile mankindmoves on and the true jungle species reassert theirdominance over the landscape. However, in thesesecondary rainforest areas there is a good chancethat some cultivated stragglers remain behind aslegacy species that the tropical forager, survivor, orjungle visitor can harvest and utilise.

Then we have monsoon forests (aroundIndia and Indo-China for example) which differ

7

from the true tropical rainforest in that they havea more ‘open’, less luxuriant, character caused byweather systems that deliver alternating rainy anddry seasons with abundant rain and lengthy dryperiods. The latter results in leaf fall which allowslight to reach the ground and vegetative growthto thrive. These are the sorts of area where youmight find bamboo thickets on the ground, whilethe main tree types will include species such asteak.

Heading out of the forest areas we maycome to less luxuriant, sub-tropical, savannahwoodlands where the dry periods are longer andwhich are characterized by more grasses andherbaceous growth, while scattered trees aremore likely to be found near watercourses. Theseareas are found widely in tropical and sub-tropical areas, most notably in East and CentralAfrica, Brazil, India and parts of China.

There are also tropical thorn-woodlands too(often on sandy or limestone soils), where thefoliage is frequently scaly or prickly, and rootsystems penetrate deep into the soil for water.Bordering areas like the Sahara semi-desert scrub(somehere between thorn-woodland true desert)can form. Acacias are often present, and cacti,agaves, aloes and yuccas characteristic.

We also have tropical and sub-tropicaldeserts like those of the Sahara and Arabian

8

Peninsula, and north-west India. These types ofarid habitat present the would-be tropical foragerwith a formidable challenge.

And then there are mangrove swamps invarious parts of the tropics. There are pickings tobe had (in terms of the vegetable kingdom) suchas the looking-glass mangrove (Heritiera littoralis)but those pickings are rather meagre. Indeed,mangrove swamps present another formidablechallenge, being physically very difficult to traversebecause of the mangrove root systems, while theneed to factor in rising tides, plus a host of bugs andother nibbling and biting nasties, makes mangroveswamp a place that you do not really want to beout of choice.

So, as you can see, ‘the tropics’ areenormously varied and what follows is a smallsnapshot of the many plant species that are foundin tropical regions which provide man withsomething to eat. Some species have been takenfrom the wild, tamed, and turned intocommercial cultivars, while others might befound as legacy plants in land that has returnedto nature, or have escaped from cultivation intothe wild (very much as ornamental plant speciesescape from garden cultivation into the wild innorthern temperate climes, or a discarded appleor pear core one day produces a fruit-bearingtree).

Bon appetit!

9Photo: Perojevic

10

SOURSOP - Annona muricata

The Annona genus is a large one with more thana hundred tropical and sub-tropical species, andall of which look somewhat similar in terms oftheir fruiting bodies.

The sour-like fruit of A. muricata (opposite, top),which grows in the northern part of SouthAmerica, has a rather fibrous texture so tends notto be eaten raw but is, rather, juiced for fruitdrinks and ice cream. Where the fruit flesh is notquite so fibrous and is less sour, then it can beeaten raw. Sometimes the fruit is cooked withsugar syrup as a dessert.

Perhaps the best known of the Annona family isthe Custard or Sugar Apple (A. squamosa) withthe fruits having a sweet, banana-custard-likeflavoured, white flesh which is eaten fresh ormade into drinks. It is sometimes also called theSweetsop, and in some areas of the tropics hasbecome an invasive species – lucky for some!Another edible relation is Annona cherimoli orthe cherimoya which is native to Equador andPeru.

The bottom picture overleaf is a cross section ofthe related Mountain Soursop. Around thetropical world research goes on to develop newvarieties of the Annona genus for commercialuse. The second pair of pictures is one of thosecommercial sweet varieties as mentioned.

www.wildfoodschool.co.uk

11

Photo: FAO / Roberto Faidutti / CFU000532

Photo: USDA

12Photo: Marcus Harrison

13

BREADFRUIT - Artocarpus altilis

Breadfruit has possibly to be one of the bestknown tropical fruits - at least in terms of itsname - since it was this plant species that becamethe focus for the famous Bounty mutiny in the18th century.

Breadfruit is a fast-growing tree that can reach 50to 60ft. in height, and is native to the humidtropical climates of the Pacific Islands, Indonesiaand Malaya, but is also grown in the West Indies.

The fruits can provide two edible sources offood: the white flesh has a somewhat potato-likeconsistency when cooked (and is used widely inthe tropics where potato might otherwise be usedas a culinary ingredient), and where the fruitdevelops seeds (not all do) these can be roastedand eaten.


14

Artocarpus altilis

Photo: FAO / Susan Braatz / FO-6556

15

Artocarpus altilis

Photo: FAO / Patrick Durst / FO-5825

16Photos: Marcus Harrison

Artocarpus sp.


Artocarpus sp.

18

JACKFRUIT - Artocarpus heterophyllus

The Jackfruit is a species related to the previousBreadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and is native to anarea stretching from India to Malaysia. Both species,incidentally, are members of the Mulberry family.

Like breadfruit trees the jackfruit is a fast growingspecies of the humid tropics. The fruit, however,has an unpleasant smell (some hotels andestablishments in the tropics ban it from theirpremises), yet a sweet taste and is full of starches.The seeds may also be eaten. Like the breadfruitthe individual fruits can reach a huge size,reaching 3ft. long in some cases. Initially thefruits are green but turn yellowish as they ripen(as in the images that follow).


19Photo: USDA

20

PAWPAW / INDIAN BANANA -Asimina triloba

Confusingly, the perennial deciduous shrub orsmall tree Asimina triloba is called ‘pawpaw’(true pawpaw can be found on page 30) andbelongs to the Annonaceae or custard applefamily (page 10). It is more of a temperate speciesthan tropical but will be found in small pocketsin Florida and westwards towards Texas(frequently in moist valley bottoms or similarwhich have a good sunny aspect), and are thelargest native fruit in the US although they areunder utilised. However, it should be regarded asa temperate species and is included here forinterest.

The fruit is sweet with an almost banana-pineapple taste and can reach up to 6 inches inlength and about three inches wide with ayellow-brown skin when ripe. Use the fruit rawor cooked, or in desserts, preserves or ice cream.A word of caution here: the bean shaped seedsmust not be eaten, and the fruit may also causedermatitis, so a degree of caution should beexercised when picking and preparing the fruituntil you know how you react.


21Photo: USDA

Asimina trilobaPhoto: Clarknova

22

STAR FRUIT - Averrhoa carambola

Carambola is a deciduous, slow-growing, short-trunked tree that reaches about 20 to 30ft. inheight, and is probably native to South-East Asiabeing both adapted to hot humid conditions butalso tolerating sub-tropical conditions. However,it is widely grown – from South-East Asia andMalaysia to southern China, Taiwan, India,tropical West Africa and Zanzibar, Central andtropical South America, some of the Caribbeanislands and South Pacific, the Philippines, andQueensland, Australia.

The fruit, which has an orange-yellow colouredwaxy-looking skin when fully ripe, is verydistinctive, having 5 or 6 angles that give the fruita star-like appearance in cross-section. The fruitsare of two types (both contain oxalic acid): onewith lots of oxalic acid, the other less so andcontaining some sugars. The fruits are eaten raw,in salads, cooked as desserts, used in curries,made into preserves, and juiced as a refreshingbeverage.



Averrhoa carambola

24

PEACH PALM - Bactris gassipaes

The Peach Palm is an evergreen species of treereaching around 60ft. in height, and which growsin the tropical, humid, lowland forests of Southand Central America.

The red skinned fruit (when ripe) has an edibleflesh surrounding a single seed, and may beeaten raw, made into conserves, boiled in saltedwater, and also ground into flour. Frequently afermented beverage is made from the fruit, whileedible palm hearts may also be extracted fromthe Bactris palm.

There are commercial hybrids and variants of thePeach Palm and in some of them the fruit ripensto a yellow or orange colour, while oil may beextracted from the seeds of some varieties.


25Photo: FAO / Roberto Faidutti / CFU000836

Photo: USDA Bactris gassipaes

26

AFRICAN FAN PALM or BORASSUS /PALMYRA PALM - Borassus aethiopum

Several different names exist for this species butas the first one suggests this palm species is anative of Africa - particularly along rivers, insavannah and coastal woodlands. Growing to aheight of 60 or 70ft. this palm provides localpeople with a wealth of products from fruit, tofibre from the leaves, to wood for construction,charcoal and firewood.

The fibrous pulp of the fruits may be eaten raw,or preferably cooked (frequently with rice), whilethe immature seeds contain an albumen-like jellywith a refreshing, sweet, taste. Apparently theseeds are sometimes germinated and the earlyshoots eaten. The seeds also provide an oil, whilethe sap from the flower spikes is fermented forpalm wine.


27



Borassus aethiopum

28

CAPER BUSH – Capparis spinosa

The caper bush is best known for the pickledflower buds that find their way into the list ofkitchen ingredients. However, if the plant isallowed to flower it can give rise to an ediblefruit that is eaten when ripe (caperfruit).

Drought-tolerant, Capparis spinosa is a highlyvariable perennial species of rocky, gravelly,semi-arid habitats on the fringe of the northerntropics (North Africa, parts of the Middle East),rather than in the deep humid tropics, and growsto about 3 or 4ft. high. In the Mediterraneanregion it is quite widely grown for commercialpurposes. The fruit of the specimen pictured(from Egyptian Sinai region) is about 2½ incheslong.

The ripe fruits of C. decidua (Leafless CaperBush), which can be found growing in parts ofthe Indian sub-continent, are also used as food,with unripe ones being cooked as a vegetable orpickled. This species can reach about 15ft. inheight and produces smooth round fruits about½-inch in diameter.


29Photo: Florian Prischl

Capparis spinosa

30

PAPAYA / PAWPAW - Carica papaya

Papaya is a species of short-lived, fast growing,evergreen tree native to the tropics of theAmericas, and grows some 20 to 30ft. high, thesoft stem being deeply indented where the leavesand fruits were attached. Papaya is also grown insouthern India, Kenya, Hawaii, Australia andother tropical habitats where there is medium-low humidity, and in environments where thewinds are not too strong. It can almost be aweed in some areas but the fruit of wild varietiesis generally bitter unlike commercial cultivars.

Yellow-orange when ripe, the pear-shaped fruitgenerally reaches 8 to 10 inches in length andhas a softish, tasty, pinky-orange, flesh that iseaten raw with the seeds and skin removed. Thetexture is a bit like melon. The leaves and fruitcontain an active enzyme in a latex form whichis used for tenderizing meat which is why unripefruits should not be eaten, although green fruitscan be eaten as a vegetable if cooked thoughthey do not have much flavour. The young leavesand shoots may also be cooked and eaten asfood, and apparently in Java the flowers areeaten. The seeds have a peppery flavour but theymust not be eaten in quantity.


31Photo: FAO / Juntima Pongkraikitti / FO-5990

Carica papaya


Photo: USDA

33Photo: Piyal Kundu


Carica papaya

36

SEA GRAPE - Coccoloba uvifera

The Sea Grape is a salt-tolerant, evergreen, tree(but can also form a mass of sprawling stems)which grows around the tropical coasts of theGulf of Mexico, West Indies and shorelines ofnorthern South America.

The long tufts of flowers produce clusters of acidflavoured edible purple fruits which are oftenused to make jellies as they are really too sharpas a raw fruit.

It’s distinctive kidney-shaped leaves becomeorange or purple-coloured before they drop.



Coccoloba uvifera

38

COCONUT PALM - Cocos nucifera

No tropical picture would be complete withoutthe presence of the evergreen coconut palmwhich can attain a height of 70ft., sometimeshigher, while being able tolerate winds and thesalty conditions found along tropical shorelines.Poor drainage conditions do not suit this palmwhich is grown in nearly a hundred countries.

The ovoid fruit which forms is the source of theoily coconut ‘meat’ or kernel which finds its wayinto so many human foodstuffs, particularly intropical countries where coconut is eaten bymillions of people and is sometimes called ‘thetree of life’. Young coconut fruits also contain awatery liquid or ‘milk’ which is edible, while thesap of unopened flower heads is harvested tomake an alcoholic beverage or boiled down toproduce sugar.


39Photo: USDA

Cocos nucifera

40Photo: Jongluer

41

LONGAN - Dimocarpus longan

Native to southern China, Myanmar and possiblyparts of southern India and Sri Lanka the longanis related to the lychee, growing to some 30 or40ft. in height at higher elevations where thereare periods of cool weather but not excessiveharsh frosts.

The round fruits, which grow up to about oneinch in diameter, form in clusters and may beeaten raw or cooked, but are also canned insyrup and dried to make a fruit drink. The brittleyellow-brown skin is discarded and the somewhattranslucent, white, and slightly sweet flesh eaten.The black seeds are not edible but can be used asa shampoo as they contain saponins.


42Photo: USDA-ARS

Dimocarpus longan

43

Dimocarpus longan

Photos: Marcus Harrison

44

BLACK SAPOTE / BLACK PERSIMMONDiospyros digyna

This slow-growing tree species (reaching 70 to80ft. in height) is native to the coasts of Mexicoand the forested lowlands of Central Americasouth to Colombia, but is frequently cultivated inthe area, particularly in Mexico. In that countrythe fruit is commonly sold, although outside theregion it is largely unknown.

The fruits almost look almost like a green tomato,growing some 2 to 4 inches wide with a thininedible bright green skin when immature,ripening to a more muddy olive-green colour.Internally the ripe fruit has a jelly-like, darkbrown, sweet pulp. This pulp is used for pies, adessert, ice cream, and even fermented to makea liqueur. Unripe fruits should not be used.


45Photo: Yonathan Galle

Diospyros digyna

46

AFRICAN OIL PALM - Elaeis guineensis

The evergreen oil palm is one of the world’smost important commercial species of palm.Although native to West Africa it can be foundthroughout many tropical countries as the specieshas been imported for oil production. It can evenbe found growing in Florida. Malaysia andIndonesia are currently the world’s largestsuppliers of palm oil which is used for everythingfrom cooking oil, margarine, mayonnaise and icecream, to cosmetics and soap.

Both the fruit and its seed contain oil. Individualpalm nuts are also used in human food: the nutscooked until the kernels are soft and thenmashed to separate out the kernel and theresulting liquid in the pan being added to soupsand stews. The male flowers can be tapped fortheir sap to make ‘palm wine’ while the centralshoot may be harvested as edible palm heart.

Many other palm species also provide palm heartfor human consumption, edible sap and fruits.Some species, like Metroxylon sagu (Sago Palm),produce edible starch in their trunks.



Elaeis guineensis

48

ASSAI or ACAI PALM – Euterpe oleracea

Assai is an evergreen palm tree native to thetropics of Central and South America, and cangrow to about 90ft. high in ideal conditions.Favouring swampy areas and floodplains theassai palm produces clusters of round, purple-black, nutrient-rich berries twice a year. In sizethey range from about ½ to 1 inch in diameter,and have a thin flesh round a single large seed.

In Brazil assai fruit is commonly used. Althoughthe fruit can be eaten raw it is generally pulpedto extract the juice which is then used indesserts, ice cream, beverages (with or withoutsugar), and sometimes served with tapioca. Thefirst pictures show the unripe berries while thesecond ones show ripe assai berries for sale in alocal market and juice extraction.

The palm stems are also used to harvest palmhearts for human consumption. The fruits andpalm hearts of the related Euterpe edulis are alsoutilised for human food. Palm hearts can beanything from 2 to 4 inches wide and have anartichoke-like flavour with the texture ofasparagus. However, harvesting this vegetablekills the palm.




Euterpe oleracea

50Photos: Decio Horita Yokata

Euterpe oleracea

51

Euterpe oleracea

Photo: Marcus Harrison

52

MANGOSTEEN - Garcinia mangostana

The mangosteen is a small, slow-growing,evergreen tree species that can reach around80ft. in height and is thought to have originatedin the Moluccas and is cultivated in the humid,moisture-abundant, tropical lowlands of South-East Asia, and some parts of the Philippines.

The round, dark-purple to red-purple smooth fruithas a thick and quite hard red-coloured rindenclosing from 4 to 7 white, soft-fleshed, acid tosub-acid tasting segments. Inside the juicy whiteflesh (which is eaten fresh as a dessert fruit) arethe seeds which are not eaten. The fruit issometimes canned and made into jam.


53

Garcinia mangostana


54

DRAGONFRUIT - Hylocereus sp.

Also known as pitaya there are a number ofHylocereus species which are grown as fruit.They are, in fact, the fruits of vine cacti, having ayellow to red skin with scales, and a seedy whiteto red flesh. Being tolerant of both dry andtropical conditions various varieties have beenintroduced in hotter parts of the world from LatinAmerica to Asia. The red fleshed specimenpictured may be H. costaricensis or a commercialcultivar of that variety.


56

LONGKONG - Lansium domesticum

While they may look a little like new potatoesthe clustered fruit of the longkong (also calledlangsat) could not taste more different, the fleshhaving a taste almost like a sweet grapefruit.However, the green seeds of the translucentcreamy coloured fruit are very bitter and are noteaten. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.

The longkong tree grows from about 30 to 50ft.tall and needs a moist, humid, tropical habitatand a well-drained acid soil. It does not toleratelong dry periods well, or alkali soils. Althoughlongkong originates in the Malay tropics it iswidely grown in much of south-east Asia, thehumid areas of southern India, the Philippinesand Hawaii, but is largely absent in the tropics ofAmerica. The pictured longkong is the thinskinned commercial variety whereas the ‘wild’form has a much thicker skin, often with a milkylatex in the skin.



Lansium domesticum

59

LYCHEE - Litchi chinensis

The lychee is perhaps one of the best knowntropical fruits in the Western world (often beingserved as a dessert fruit in Chinese restaurants)other than mango, coconut and dates. It is nativeto parts of southern China, particularly riverinehabitats and areas close to coasts with tropicaland sub-tropical climes. Today the lychee isextensively grown in parts of the Indian sub-continent, Myanmar, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan,Brazil and South Africa.

A slow-growing evergreen tree that sometimesreaches 50+ feet in height, but generally in a rangeof about 12 to 35ft. tall, the lychee produces looseclusters of round or ovate fruits with a leatheryskin of a yellow-amber to rose-red colour.Removing the skin reveals a succulent, almosttranslucent, white flesh with a sub-acid taste.Although normally eaten fresh the fruit is alsodried and pickled.


60Photo: USDA-ARS

Litchi chinensis

61

ACEROLA / BARBADOS or DWARFCHERRY - Malpighia punicifolia

The evergreen Barbados cherry (related to M. glabra)is a large, bushy shrub or small tree reaching up to20ft. high and is native to parts of the West Indies,though it is not grown in other tropical areas forits juicy dessert fruits which have an acid to sub-acid flavour. When ripe the thin-skinned scarletfruits can be eaten out of hand and have araspberry-like taste, but are sometimes a little toosharp to eat raw and are cooked. When stewedwith sugar, juiced, or made into jellies andpreserves they take on a more green appleflavour. The seeds should not be consumed, andthere are some reports that eating the fruit inlarge quantities can cause intestinal problems.



Malpighia punicifolia

63



64

MANGO - Mangifera indica

The long-lived mango tree can grow over 100ft.high and is native to southern Asia. Preferringtropical lowlands where there is well-drained soil,plus good rainfall in the summer months followedby a dry season, this species has been cultivatedfor centuries. Indeed, it is estimated that there aresome 350 cultivars and over 500 named varieties.

The fruit is highly variable in shape, size andcolour. Generally the fruits are ovoid-oblong andslightly lob-sided, and in some varieties willattain a length of 10 inches. The skin is fairlythick, can range from green to orange-red incolour or sometimes flushed with scarlet, andthis surrounds a sweet to sub-acid flesh whichvaries from pale yellow to orange in colour. Theflavour is a bit peach/pineapple-like. Unripe fruitsare used to prepare pickles and chutney whileripe fruits can be juiced, eaten fresh, or madeinto jellies and preserves.


65Photo: USDA

Mangifera indica

66Photo: Surfsupusa

Photo: Zeeshan Javeed


Mangifera indica

68

DOMINICAN LOQUAT - Manilkarahuberi

The Dominican loquat tree can grow to morethen 100ft. tall in optimum conditions.

The brown-skinned Nispero, as this tropical fruit iscalled locally, has a somewhat white-orange toreddish flesh, is sweet to acid in taste, and has anaromatic pulp. This tropical fruit often finds usesin ice cream and desserts, confectionery, jams andpreserves.

The true loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) as I call it,is a small, evergreen tree or large shrub native tosub-tropical parts of the Orient, but is now grownin countries such as Spain, Brazil and India. Theripe round fruits of this species are golden-yellowto orange with a sweet, tasty, soft and juicy fleshwhich is white to orange in colour. They arelargely eaten fresh but may be may be cooked ormade into preserves, jellies and syrup.


69Photo: Fev

Manilkara huberi

70

RAMBUTAN - Nephelium lappaceum

Rambutan is a native of Malaysia and Indonesiawhere it thrives in hot humid conditions, but isalso grown in coastal lowlands of the Caribbeanand northern South America, as well as thePhilippines. Good trees can crop twice a year.

The oval or elliptical fruit is a somewhat hairy,and has a thin leathery skin that can vary incolour from yellow through red to almost purple,depending on the variety. Within the skin is asweet (sometimes sub-acid) and juicy translucentflesh which varies from white to rose-tinted.

The peeled fruits are eaten raw or sometimesstewed as a dessert (particularly if they are sub-acid or sour), made into preserves or jams, orcanned in syrup. The kernels of the seed containan edible solid fat and are, apparently, roasted inthe Philippines and eaten (in their raw state it issaid the seeds are toxic). k


71

Photo: USDA-ARS

Photo: USDA-ARS

Nephelium

lappaceum

74

PRICKLY PEAR - Opuntia sp.

The prickly pear, also called the Indian Fig, is acactus native to tropical America and found insemi-arid rangeland and desert areas. Indeed, ithas been used in some parts of North Africa totry and stabilise sand dunes. There are manyvarieties of Opuntia and they also hybridizeeasily.

In some places prickly pear cactus is regarded asa nuisance weed while in others the fruits (andalso in Mexico the leaf pads) provide a valuablefoodstuff. In the Mexican example the species isgrown commercially, the leaf pads being strippedof their spines and irritant bristles and sold inmarkets to be used in salads when young orcooked as a vegetable. They have a tastesomewhat like green beans, while the fruits areoften available for six months of the year. In Italy,Spain, Egypt, Morocco, Israel, South Africa,South-West Asia, parts of South America,Australia and United States prickly pear is cropped.In the latter country it is a problem weed in someparts.

The yellow to scarlet fruits (purple-black in somevarieties) are peeled and the sweet, generally redto purple, flesh consumed. Some varieties have amore creamy yellow flesh.


75Photo: Sam Mugraby / www.Photos8.com

Opuntia ficus-carica

76

PASSIONFRUIT - Passiflora edulis

There are an estimated 500 Passiflora speciesaround the world, but only the evergreenperennial Passiflora edulis is technically calledpassionfruit. It is native to South America withthere being two sorts (one having yellow fruitsthe other purple-brown, and looking a bit likehen’s eggs on a vine). In Brazil the yellow varietyis juiced while the inner part of the purple type iseaten fresh. The first fruit pictured is an immatureone.

Passionfruit is now grown almost around theworld in hot areas. India, Sri, Lanka, Australia,Kenya, Hawaii, South Africa and many othercountries have commercial growing operations.

The part eaten is the seedy pulp inside theleathery skin and its soft white pith, with orwithout the seeds. For making drinks, ice cream,jams, jellies, and flavouring yoghurt the pulp isseparated from the seeds mechanically.


77


Photo: USDA


Passiflora edulis

79

CANARY ISLAND DATE PALM & TRUEDATE PALM - Phoenix canariensis &dactylifera

The evergreen Canary Island Date Palm (see firstpicture) is native to the Canary Island but is alsoplanted as an ornamental species in the southernUS states from Florida to California as it toleratessandy soils, drought conditions and moderatelyhigh salt aerosols brought in from the sea.

This species is included as more of a curiositysince the ‘dates’ which this palm produces arenot really palatable like the true date palm(Phoenix dactylifera – see second picture) but itproduces an edible sap that may be transformedinto an edible syrup.


80Photo: Kahuroa

Phoenix canariensis

81Photo: Stan Shebs

Phoenix dactylifera


Phoenix sp.

84

MAMEY SAPOTE - Pouteria sapota

Native to the lowland tropics of Central Americaand southern Mexico the mamey sapote treeproduces a large, sweet, and vitamin rich, pinky-orange fleshed fruit which can be eaten raw,cooked and used like puréed apples, or madeinto ice cream, sherbets, and jams. The seeds aresometimes ground and used as a flavouringthough caution is perhaps advised since theymay be deleterious in quantity. Sap from thegreen fruit and bark is also irritant to skin andeyes. Some reports say the seeds and skins aretoxic.

The sapote is also sometimes cultivated and thefruits can vary in shape and colour - from roundor almost egg-shaped and the skins varying incolour from brown to a dull red.


85Photo: USDA

Pouteria sapota

86

GUAVA - Psidium guayjava

The guava is thought to be a native of tropicalsouth America, but it is also found in Mexico,Brazil, Central America, the West Indies, Floridaand nearby gulf states, South Africa, India,Malaysia and the Philippines. In someenvironments wild guava thickets develop andhave to be eradicated as a serious weed. A shrubor small tree species (growing to about 30ft tall),guava does best where there is lots of sunshinebut also grows in humid and wet conditionsalthough the fruit is often of a poorer quality.

Guava fruits are about 2 to 4 inches long and arerich in vitamin C, being eaten raw or used tomake jellies, preserves, juice. When ripe the skincan be anything from pale green through yellow,to scarlet occasionally. The quality of the fruit isdependent on the cultivar variety: some are quiteseedy, while the soft flesh varies from creamywhite to yellow and pink-red, with a sweet toslightly acid flavour.

The pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana) - anevergreen shrub or small tree - is native to parts ofnorthern South America. The round to egg-shapedfruit has a minty-pineapple flavoured green-whiteflesh. The slightly sweet flower petals are eaten too.


87

Photo: Fqamar Psidium

guayjava

Photo: USDA

88

Psidium guayjava


89

Psidium guayjava

Photo: Marcus Harrison

90

POMEGRANATE - Punica granatum

A deciduous shrub or small tree the pomegranateis native to parts of the Middle East but has beenintroduced to many other parts of the world withconditions of low humidity or dryness and longhours of sunshine to ripen the fruit, though it isalso tolerant of cool winters. There are hundredsof cultivars in commercial use.

The mature fruits are about 4 inches in diameterand contain hundreds of seeds covered with anedible juicy flesh that varies in sweetness, acidityand astringency. These can be spooned out of thefruit or pressed for their juice.


91Photo: Marionetarh

Photo: Karelj Punica granatum

93

MOMBIN - Spondias sp.

There are several Spondias species from aroundthe tropics with edible fruit. One of the bestknown is the sharp-flavoured Purple Mombin(Spondias purpurea) which is widespread in thetropical north of South America, Central America,Mexico the Caribbean and in Florida (planted).Sometimes called jacote fruit (the pictured Jacotefruit comes from Guatemala). The kernels of thecracked stones of this species can also be eaten.

Another species, Spondias dulcis, is known asthe Yellow Mombin and has yellow-orange topurple-red fruits with an acidic taste.

And then there is the less pleasant, acid tasting,Hog Plum (Spondias mombin) which comes fromthe rainforests of northern South America, CentralAmerica and West Indies.


94Photo: Elveoflight / Licensed under CC Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Spondias sp.

95Photos: HansB

96

BAMBOO

Generally speaking the common name ‘bamboo’relates to members of Bambusa, a number ofwhich provide food for humans in tropical partsof the world, particularly in tropical Asia. Andalthough they do not fall precisely into the topicof ‘tropical fruits’ it seemed appropriate tomention them since this group of plants is widelyassociated with the tropics.

Most often it is the young shoots, buds and, justoccasionally, the leaves which are used cooked.Some are fine when very young but becomebitter and acrid with age. In one instance theplants are earthed-up like celery to make thempalatable.

Members of a number of other ‘bamboo’ families(Arundinaria, Gigantochloa, Melocalamus, Melo-canna, Phyllostachys, and Semiarundinaria) can alsoprovide human food. Some have edible fruits andseeds, others similarly provide edible youngshoots when prepared correctly.


97Photo: GaylaLin

Photo: Vladaig

98


in the tropics - the british countryside at your … to factor in rising tides, plus a host of bugs...

Documents