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Tree in the family Myrtaceae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jabuticaba (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʒabutʃiˈkabɐ]), also spelled Jaboticaba,[3] is the edible fruit of the jabuticabeira (Plinia cauliflora) or Brazilian grapetree. The purplish-black, white-pulped fruit grows directly on the trunk of the tree, making it an example of 'cauliflory'. It is eaten raw or used to make jellies, jams, juice or wine.[4] The tree, of the family Myrtaceae, is native to the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Goiás and São Paulo in Brazil.[5][6] Related species in the genus Myrciaria, often referred to by the same common names, are native to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia.[7]
Jabuticaba | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Plinia |
Species: | P. cauliflora |
Binomial name | |
Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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The name jabuticaba derives from the Tupi word îaboti Lusitanized jaboti/jabuti (tortoise) + kaba (place), meaning "the place where tortoises are found";[8] it has also been interpreted to mean 'like turtle fat', referring to the fruit's white pulp.[9][10][11] It could also derive from ïapotï'kaba meaning "fruits in a bud".[12]
The Guarani name is yvapurũ: yva means fruit and the onomatopoeic word purũ, from pururũ,[13] describes the crunching sound the fruit produces when bitten.[14]
The tree is a slow-growing evergreen that can reach a height of 15 meters (49 ft) if not pruned. The leaves are salmon-pink when young, turning green as they mature.[15]
The tree prefers moist, rich, lightly acidic soil. It is widely adaptable, however, and grows satisfactorily even on alkaline beach-sand type soils, so long as it is tended and irrigated. Its flowers are white and grow directly from its trunk in a cauliflorous habit.[16] In its native habitat jaboticabeiras may flower and fruit five to six times throughout the year. Jabuticabeira are tropical to subtropical plants and can tolerate mild, brief frosts, not below 26 °F (-3 °C).[9]
The tree has a compact, fibrous root system, that makes it suitable for growing in pots or transplanting.[17]
The fruit is a thick-skinned berry and typically measures 3–4 centimetres (1.2–1.6 in) in diameter. The fruit resembles a slip-skin grape. It has a thick, purple, astringent skin that encases a sweet, white or rosy pink gelatinous flesh. Embedded within the flesh are one to four large seeds, which vary in shape depending on the species.[18] Jabuticaba seeds are recalcitrant and they become unviable within 10 days when stored at room temperature.[19]
In Brazil, the fruit of several related species, including Myrciaria tenella and Plinia peruviana, share the same common name.[20]
Jabuticaba has been cultivated in Brazil since pre-Columbian times. Today it is commercial crop in the center and south of the country.[21]
Commercial cultivation of the fruit in the northern hemisphere is more restricted by slow growth and the short shelf-life of fruit than by temperature requirements.[22] Grafted plants may bear fruit in five years, while seed-grown trees may take 10 to 20 years to bear fruit.[19]
Jabuticabeiras are fairly adaptable to various kinds of growing conditions, tolerating sand or rich topsoil. They are intolerant of salty soils or salt spray.[23] They are tolerant of mild drought, though fruit production may be reduced, and irrigation will be required in extended or severe droughts.[20]
Jabuticabeiras are vulnerable to the rust, Austropuccinia psidii.[24] particularly when the tree flowers during heavy rain. Other important diseases that affect jabuticabeiras are canker (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), dieback (Rosellinia), and fruit rot (Botrytis cinerea).[25]
Common in Brazilian markets, jabuticabas are largely eaten fresh.[26] Fruit may begin to ferment 3 to 4 days after harvest, so it is often used to make jams, tarts, strong wines, and liqueurs. Due to the short shelf-life, fresh jabuticaba is rare in markets outside areas of cultivation.[21]
The fruit has been compared to Muscadine grapes,[17] and in Japan the flavor of jabuticaba has been described as similar to that of Kyoho grapes.[27]
Their slow growth and small size when immature make jabuticabeiras popular as bonsai or container ornamental plants in temperate regions.[28] It is a widely used bonsai species in Taiwan and parts of the Caribbean.[29]
The jabuticabeira appears as a charge on the coat of arms of Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil.[31]
In Brazilian politics, and less commonly in everyday speech, "jabuticaba" is a slang that describes a political or legal setting that is considered absurd, unusual, or needlessly complex, among others, that could only exist in a country like Brazil. It is a reference to the popular wisdom that jabuticaba trees can only grow in Brazil.[32][33]
A number of similar species of plant in the family Myrtaceae produce fruit that is also known by the common name Jabuticaba.[20][26]
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