Spondias purpurea

Red Mombinpflaume ( Spondias purpurea)

The Red Mombinpflaume ( Spondias purpurea ), also called Jocote, is a flowering plant of the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to the tropical zone of America. The term " Jocote " comes from the word xocotl ( "fruit" ) from the Nahuatl.

The deciduous tree can grow up to 25 m tall. It loses its leaves in the short dry season, just before developing new ones. The flowers are small, reddish-purple, and occur in large panicles. The stone fruit whose flesh is edible, is 3-5 cm long and 2-3.5 cm wide and contains a single large seed. The ripe fruit is red, occasionally yellow.

The cultivation of the tree is widespread in tropical regions around the world, mainly due to the edible flesh ( which is also eaten unripe with salt). The ripe fruit contains abundant vitamin C. The tree grows in Central America often the consumption of the fruit is there known for its laxative effect.