Spondias purpurea

Spondias purpurea L.

Common Names: Scarlet Plum, Purple Mombin, Jocote

Family: Anacardiaceae

Habit: Spondias purpurea grows as a tree to 10 m in height.  The odd-pinnately compound leaves are arranged alternately and up to 20 cm in length.  The leaflets oblong to obovate with an acute leaf apex and an entire margin but slightly serrate toward the apex.

Spondias purpurea is dioecious. The incomplete, imperfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in panicles.  In both flowers there are 5 reddish, fused at the base, pubescent, sepals and 5 red, unfused petals.  In staminate flowers there are 9-10 stamens and a nonfunctional carpel. In carpellate flowers there are staminodes and the ovary is superior and subtended by a glandular disc. The fruit is a purple drupe at maturity.

Habitat: Spondias purpurea grows in Human Altered environments (yards, gardens, farms).

Distribution: Spondias purpurea is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago but is grown throughout the islands.  It is native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. It is widely grown as a fruit tree in tropical and subtropical zones.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Spondias purpurea is a desired cultivated species for its extremely tasty fruits

Spondias purpurea is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.