Mamoncillo ( Melicoccus bijugatus )

Fruit Warehouse | Mamoncillo ( Melicoccus bijugatus ) | The genus was first described by Melicoccus Patrick Browne, an Irish doctor and botanist, in 1756. In 1760, Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin described the first species in Browne's genus, the which he named M. bijugatus. In 1762 Linnaeus used a spelling variation of the name Melicocca bijuga. In 1888 German taxonomist Ludwig Radlkofer Melicoccus placed in the tribe Melicocceae together with eight other genera. The specific epithet refers to the bijugate bijugatus leaves, leaves the which consist of two pairs of leaflets.

Melicoccus bijugatus, commonly called ackee, Spanish lime, genip, guinep, genipe, quenepa, mamoncillo, or honeyberry, is a fruit-bearing tree in the soapberry family Sapindaceae, native or naturalized over a wide area of the Tropics, Including South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa and the Pacific

Trees can reach heights of up to 25 m and come with alternate, compound leaves. Wide. They are dioecious plants Typically however polygamous trees occur from time to time.  This fruit can be sweet or sour. 

Being tropical, M. bijugatus Prefers warmer temperatures. Its leaves can be Damaged if the temperature hits the freezing point, with serious damage occurring below -4 ° C. It is grown and cultivated for its ovoid, green fruit, the which grow in bunches. The seed is also edible. Despite the light color of the fruit's flesh, the juice stains a dark brown color, and was Often used by indigenous Arawak natives to dye cloth.