Tropical Plant "Cambuci"
Campomanesia phaea

Characteristics - The cambuci or flying saucer fruit is cultivated in domestic orchards, in southeastern Brazil. It is rare in its natural habitat, the Atlantic Rainforest of Serra do Mar, in the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. It is a semi-decuduous tree, 4-9 m tall with peeling trunk. Leaves are simple, subcoriaceous, glabrous and glossy on the upper surface, 7-10 cm. Flowers are solitary, axillary with a 2-6 cm long peduncle, form from August to November. Fruits are shaped like flying saucers. They are green even when ripe and have a succulent, pleasantly acidic, astringent tasting pulp, ripening in January-February.

Uses - Fruits consumed in natura, in the form of juices and sherbets, as well as jellies.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.