Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) • Earth.com

Sachamango

(Gustavia superba)

galery
en

Description

Gustavia superba is an understory tree that grows in Central and north-western South America. Common names include membrillo, sachamango and heaven lotus. The trunk is around 5-10m high with the leaves radiating from the top (like palms). Gustavia superba grows naturally as an understory tree, where it is abundant, especially in secondary forests. It appreciates abundant moisture, sun and well drained soil. It branches little until mature, and has a bunch of leaves at the top, so that it resembles a palm. Seeds are dispersed by agoutis. The leaves are a favourite food of iguanas. It bears rounded pear shaped fruit, on the trunk (cauliflorous). Inside the hard green shell are several large seeds about 4 cm in diameter. The yellowish-orange pulp is edible, is usually boiled after which it is said to resemble meat in taste. It is rich in A, B and C vitamins. The tree is not widely known outside its native range from Ecuador to Panama and Venezuela, but has been planted in tropical botanical gardens, including in Singapore (where it is referred to as 'pungol') and Australia. Gustavia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae described by Linnaeus in 1775. It is native to tropical Central America and South America.Many of the species are threatened; some are critically endangered Gustavia superba, though, is actually abundant in re-growing secondary forests. It grows in northern South America, from Panama south through the Andes as far as Ecuador, and along the Caribbean coast and in the Amazon basin.Gustavia flowers have numerous stamens, in some species as many as 1,200 in a single flower.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum:
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order:Ericales
Family:Lecythidaceae
Genus:Gustavia
News coming your way
The biggest news about our planet delivered to you each day