Spondias mombin

Read about Spondias mombin in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Spondias mombin, Linn. (S. purpurea, Linn.). Spanish Plum. Prunier D'espagne. Ciruela. Small tree, sometimes spreading, stiff, up to about 25 ft. in height: lvs. 5-8 in. long; lfts. 16-21, oblong-elliptic, 1 – 1 1/2 in. long, 5/8 in. broad, usually somewhat asymmetrical, acute or bluntish, subserrate: racemes unbranched, about 1/2 in. long, few-fld.; the fls. purplish maroon: fr. oblong-obovoid, commonly purplish, about 1 in. long, the seed oblong-elliptical, 1/2 – 3/4 in. long, roughened on the surface. Trop. Amer. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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Spondias mombin

S. mombin, fruiting.

Plant Info

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Anacardiaceae
Genus:	Spondias
Species:	S. mombin

Binomial name

Spondias mombin
L.

Synonyms

Spondias lutea L.

Spondias mombin is a species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It originates from and is distributed throughout the Neotropics from southern Mexico to Peru and Brazil, including the West Indies. The tree is also naturalized in parts of Africa, India and Indonesia. It is rarely cultivated.

The fruit has a leathery skin and a thin layer of pulp. The pulp is either eaten fresh, or made into juice, concentrate, jellies , and sherbets. In Suriname's traditional medicine, the infusion of the leaves is used as a treatment of eye inflammation, diarrhea and venereal diseases. The seed has an oil content of 31.5%.[1]

It has several common names; in the Caribbean islands it is known as yellow mombin or hog plum, while in Jamaica it is called Spanish plum or gully plum. In Ghana, it is hog plum or Ashanti plum. Other common names include true yellow mombin, golden apple or Java plum.

The name of the city of Bangkok, Thailand is believed to derive from makok (มะกอก), the Thai name for the fruit of S. mombin.

Spondias mombin

See also