Genipa americana

Right: Jenipapo ( Genipa americana ); left: Geniculata

The genipap tree ( Genipa americana, Syn. Genipa americana var caruto ( Kunth ) K.Schum, Genipa caruto Kunth ) is a plant belongs to the family of the Rubiaceae ( Rubiaceae ). The genipap fruit looks like a pear. It is usually but much larger. The genipap tree is widely distributed in tropical America.

Description

The Jenipapo is reached from 30 to 80 cm a deciduous, medium-sized tree, the plant height 6-20 m and trunk diameter. The wood is hard and durable, but relatively flexible colored and white-gray. The relatively short -stemmed deciduous leaves are large, glabrous, coriaceous, obovate, 10 to 35 cm long and 5.5 up to 19 cm wide.

In short, terminal, zymösen inflorescences are the yellowish flowers that are 2 to 4.5 cm long. The round, brown fruit has a diameter of 6 to 7 cm and the flesh is filled with a variety of flat seeds.

Use

The mature, brownish, about apple-sized and wrinkled fruits are edible. They are eaten raw or made ​​into preserves, jam or beverages.

The indigenous people of Brazil and Venezuela gain from the green fruits genipap a dark blue color that they use similar urucú to paint themselves. In the Paraguayan folk medicine Genipa americana ( Guaraní: Ñandypa ) accused of disinfectant, laxative, detoxifying and anti-rheumatic effect.

The wood of the tree is used in the distribution area as lumber and furniture.

1945 reported a urologist that he could synthetically produce a brew which is used to dissolve encrustations in the urinary bladder. This concoction was originally produced by the inhabitants of the Amazon Basin from the Buitach - apple ( Genipa americana) and must be drunk hot. It is used by the locals when bathing men in a Candiru ( Vandelliinae ) has penetrated into the urethra, thus dissolves the skeleton of the fish.

Swell

• Paul C. Standley: The Rubiaceae of Ecuador. Field Museum of History, Botanical Series, Volume VII, Number 2, Chicago, USA, 1931.
• Paul C. Standley: The Rubiaceae of Venezuela. Field Museum of History, Botanical Series, Volume VII, Number 4, Chicago, USA, 1931.