More tropical botany
Saturday, 21 August 2010
The sign said guinep.
I saw green ovate-roundish yellow-green fruit somewhat like squished pingpong-ball-sized limes loosely clustered on woody twigs.
Against the rules, I nabbed a snapshot.
Thanks to online reference materials, I have learned that I was looking at Melicoccus bijugatus, which has a plethora of common names, with mamoncillo perhaps more familiar than most (I’ve seen it in Mexico). Guinep is the Jamaican name. I guess the species is native to the New World tropics, maybe mostly the Caribbean.
Inside it’s not at all like a citrus, but has a salmon-colored or yellowish pulp around a hard kernel/seed. And the skin is thin and leathery.
Apparently, there are sweeter kinds and not-sweet ones.
I’m lame, I didn’t buy any to try.