CASHEW FAMILY (ANACARDLACEAE) 

 133. Jobo de la India, ambarella Spondias dulcis Parkinson* 



This exotic fruit tree is characterized by: (1) 

 pinnate leaves 8-1-2 inches lontj witli 11-23 sliort- 

 stalked, lance-sliapecl or oblonjj leaflets lyo-iYo 

 inches long, thin and long-pointed, the edges in- 

 conspiciioiislv toothed and turned under; (2) nu- 

 merous small, fragrant, whitish, 5-parted flowers 

 nearly l^ inch across in branched terminal clus- 

 ters; and (3) large elliptic or rounded yellow 

 fruits 2-4 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, 

 sour and edible. 



A small to medium-sized deciduous tree reach- 

 ing 20—10 feet in height and li/> feet in trunk di- 

 ametei-, with few stout branches and stout twigs. 

 The bark is smooth and greenish and exudes a res- 

 inous juice. 



The leaves are alternate. Leaflets have stalks 

 less than Vs inch long and blades paired except the 

 terminal one, %-l inch broad, ?hort-pointed at 

 base. 



The flower clusters (panicles) are 8-12 inches 

 long, the flowers on stalks about Vie inch long. 

 Flowers are male or female and bisexual on the 

 same tree (polygamous). The small calyx is 

 5-lobed; the 5 whitish petals less than Vs i'^ch long 

 are spreading and bent downwards; there are 10 

 stamens ; and the pistil on a disk has an ovary with 

 5 styles. 



The thick-skinned fruits (drupes) are borne 

 2-10 in a drooping cluster. They have a pleasant 

 odor and flavor suggesting apples. The large few- 

 seeded stone 1-11/^ inches long has stiff spinelike 

 projections into the yellow juicy pulp. In fruit 

 through most of the year. 



The sapwood is whitish to light yellow, and the 

 heartwood is light brown. The wood is moder- 

 ately soft, lightweight, and not durable. 



The fruits are made into preserves as ^vell as 

 eaten fresh. Plants are propagated readily by 

 cuttings. 



Grown for its fruits in Puerto Rico, chiefly in 

 the coastal regions. Also in St. Croix, St. Thomas, 

 and St. John. 



Eange. — Native of Society Islands in the South 

 Pacific but planted in various tropical regions and 

 relatively uncommon in the New World. Culti- 

 vated in southern Florida, through West Indies 

 from Cuba and Jamaica to Trinidad and Tobago, 

 and from Guianas and Venezuela to Brazil. 



Though introduced into Jamaica as early as 

 1782, this has not become a popular fruit tree in 

 the West Indies. 



Other common names. — citara (Puerto Rico) ; 

 pomme cythere (Virgin Islands) ; jobo de la India, 

 manzana de ore (Dominican Republic) ; ciruela 

 dulce, manzana de Otahiti, jobo de la India 

 (Cuba) ; jobo de indio (Venezuela) ; manzana de 

 oro (Ecuador) ; ambarella, golden-apple, vi-apple, 

 Otaheite-apple (English) ; Otaheite-plum (Ja- 

 maica) ; pomme cythere (French) ; mombin es- 

 pagnol, robe (Haiti) ; prune cythere (Guadeloupe, 

 Martinique) ; ponuiie de Cythere (Curasao, Suri- 

 nam) ; fransi mope (Surinam) ; caja manga, im- 

 buzeiro (Brazil). 



Botanical synonyms. — Spondias cytherea 

 Sonner., S. dulcis Forst. f . 



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