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Genipa americana
Species of plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Genipa americana (/ˈdʒɛnɪpə/) is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
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Description
Genipa americana trees are up to 30 m tall and up to 60 cm dbh.[2][3][4] Their bark is smooth with little fissures.[4] The leaves are opposite, obovate, or obovate oblong, 10–35 cm long, 6–13 cm wide, and glossy dark green, with entire margin, acute or acuminate apex, and attenuated base.[2][5][3] The inflorescences are cymes up to 10 cm long.[2] The flowers are white to yellowish, slightly fragrant, calyx bell-shaped, corolla at 2–4.5 cm long, trumpet-shaped, and five- or six-lobed.[2][5][3] The five short stamens are inserted on top of the corolla tube.[5] The fruit is a thick-skinned edible greyish berry 10–12 cm long, 5–9 cm in diameter.[2][5]
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Distribution and habitat
Genipa americana is native to the tropical forests of the Americas, from the Caribbean south to Argentina.[2][6][7] It is present from sea level up to 1200 m of elevation,[4] although some argue the original native range as being northern South America.[8]
Vernacular names
In English, the tree is known as the genip tree /ˈdʒɛnɪp/ and the fruit as genipap /ˈdʒɛnɪpæp/.[9]
Colombia: jagua, caruto, huito;[4][6] Brazil: jenipapo, formerly genipapo;[4] Costa Rica: guaitil, tapaculo;[4] Nicaragua: tapaculo, yigualtí;[4] Mexico: shagua, xagua, maluco;[4][10] Perú: huito, vito, jagua;[6] Argentina: ñandipá;[6] Puerto Rico: jagua; Bolivia: bí[11]
Its name has been reconstructed as we'e (*weʔe) in Proto-Tucanoan.[12]
Chemical compounds
The following compounds have been isolated from G. americana: genipic acid,[10] genipinic acid,[10] genipin[13] (all three from the fruit) and geniposidic acid (leaves).[10]
Uses
The unripe fruit of G. americana yields a liquid used as a deep purple dye for tattoos, skin painting, insect repellent[7] and food.[14]
This species is also cultivated for its edible fruits, which are eaten in preserves or made into drinks, jelly, or ice cream.[7]
The wood is reported to be resistant, strong, and easily worked; it is used in the making of utensils and in construction and carpentry.[3][4]
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Gallery
Tree
Leaves and fruits
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See also
References
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