Chrysophyllum argenteum – Bastard redwood
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Sapotaceae
South America, Central America, Caribbean - Trinidad to Cuba
Moist, lower mountain forest. 10-1600 meters above sea level. 15 meter tall tree.
Ecological value:
Fruits and flowers year round, food source for mammals and birds. The flowers of this genus are small, generally purple-white, with a sweet fragrant scent.
Material uses:
The wood is hard, heavy, strong, tough, and durable, therefore used for fence posts, construction and tool handles. Also used for charcoal.
Edible uses:
Sweet fruit. Most fruit from this genus are edible and is round and often purple skinned with a star pattern in the pulp.
Medicinal use:
Bark used to treat sores.
Other details:
Chrysophyllum argenteum belongs to a genus of 54 species found across the tropics. The genus belongs to the Sapotaceae family, in which many produce edible fruits. 63 genera belong to the Sapotaceae family.
Research:
Maria Camila Misle/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Chrysophyllum Argenteum Jacq. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:311591-2.
“Chrysophyllum Argenteum - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Chrysophyllum+argenteum.
“Chrysophyllum in Flora of North America @ Efloras.org.” n.d. Www.efloras.org. Accessed November 27, 2023. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=107005.
Image sources: Environmental Sciences Program, © Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Forest & Kim Starr