Tropical Plant "Spanish tamarind"
Vangueria edulis

Characteristics - The Spanish tamarind is a tropical fruit bearer, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar, recently introduced in Brazil, where it is occasionally cultivated in domestic orchards. It is a small, frondose evergreen, 2-4 m tall. Leaves simple, membranaceous, glabrous, short petiolate, 10-17 cm long with stipules inserted between the petioles. Flowers androgynous, discreet, greenish, arranged in paniculate inflorescences on the branches, below the foliated zone, they form from January to March. The fruits are globose berries, crowned by a persistent calyx, the pulp is acidic with an apple-like flavor; they mature from August to October.

Uses - The fruits are consumed in natura (raw); when left on the tree to dry out, they take on the flavor of the tamarind, they are then consumed in the form of juice.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.