Chrysophyllum oliviforme L.
| Family: | SAPOTACEAE |
|
|||
| Sub-Family: | Not available | ||||
| English Name: | Statin Leaf | ||||
| Synonym: | Chrysophyllum ferrugineum Gaertn. | ||||
| Common Name: | Damson plum, wild star-apple, saffron-tree | ||||
| Flowering & Fruiting Period: | July - October | ||||
| Distribution: | Native of Western Caribbean to South-eastern America in Florida. | ||||
| Habitat: | Woodland and thickets on limestone at elevations from near sea level to 900 metres in Jamaica | ||||
| Uses: | Fruit - raw or cooked. The lavender pulp of the small dark purple fruit is sweet, melting and has a good flavour. The fruit also makes an excellent jelly. The skin is gummy or rubbery with a milky sap. The pulp has an agreeable flavour, similar to dates. The light brown wood is hard, very heavy, and strong. It is used for construction, beams, and doors and windows. | ||||
| Key Characteristics: | Satin leaf varies in habit from an evergreen shrub about 3 metres tall to a tree that can be up to 15 metres. The bole can be 30cm in diameter. The plant is sometimes cultivated in various parts of the tropics, especially in the Caribbean, for its edible fruit. It is also grown as an ornamental plant, valued especially for its decorative leaves. | ||||