Tropical Plant "Marirana"
Couepia subcordata

Characteristics - The Couepia subcordata is a fruit bearer, occasionally cultivated as a shade tree, in the northern regions of Brazil, and is relatively frequent in its natural habitat, in the dry land tropical forest, of the central Amazon. It is an evergreen tree, 10-20 m tall, with a frondose crown. Leaves are chartaceous, glabrous on the upper surface, with brownish white,arachnoid hairs on the inferior surface, 12-17 cm long, with pubescent petioles, 6-7 mm long, Inflorescences in axillary and terminal panicles, with straw-white flowers, form in November-December. Fruits are ellipsoid drupes, with a smooth exocarp (skin) and a carnose mesocarp (pulp) without fibers; they mature in August and September.

Uses - The fruits are very rich in carotenoids and are consumed mainly in their natural state; they are available in street markets, of towns in the northern region.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.