More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Soapberries, Cashews, Mahoganies and Allies of Zihuatanejo
ORDER ROSALES
Red Mombin
Spondias purpurea
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Soapberries, Cashews, Mahoganies, and Allies (Order Sapindales)
-Cashew Family (Family Anacardiaceae)
-Tropical Plums (Subfamily Spondiadoideae)
-Mombins (Genus Spondias)
-Red Mombin (Spondias purpurea)
Spondias purpura is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to tropical regions of the Americas. It is commonly known as jocote, which derives from the Nahuatl word xocotl, meaning any kind of sour or acidic fruit. Other common names include red mombin. S. purpurea fruit grow on deciduous trees in warm tropical climates. They begin to develop following tiny red flowers, before any leaves appear on the tree.
Description
• Spondias purpurea, commonly known as red mombin, jocote, or Spanish plum, is a deciduous fruit tree in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae).
• It typically grows 3–10 m tall, with a spreading crown and thick, branching limbs.
• The pinnate leaves consist of numerous small, oval leaflets that turn yellow and fall during the dry season.
• Small reddish or purplish flowers appear on bare branches or before the new leaves emerge.
• The fleshy fruits are oval to rounded and ripen from green to yellow, orange, or deep red. They have a thin skin, juicy flesh, and a hard central stone.
Range
• Spondias purpurea is native to tropical America, including Mexico and Central America.
• It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area, where it is also cultivated for its edible fruit.
Habitat
• Grows in seasonally dry tropical forests, open woodland, scrub, and agricultural landscapes.
• Tolerates heat, drought, and relatively poor soils, making it well suited to dry tropical climates.
• Commonly planted in home gardens, orchards, and living fences throughout Mexico.
