Spondias mombin

Spondias mombin L.

Common Names: Hog Plum, Yellow Mombin

Family: Anacardiaceae

Habit: Spondias mombin grows as a tree to 15 m in height.  The odd-pinnately compound leaves are arranged alternately and up to 20 cm in length.  The 15-20 leaflets elliptic to lanceolate with an acuminate leaf apex and an entire margin but slightly crennate toward the apex. The rachis is unwinged.

Spondias mombin is dioecious. The incomplete, imperfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in terminal or axillary panicles.  In both flowers there are 5, white, fused at the base, pubescent, sepals and 5 red, unfused petals.  In staminate flowers there are 9-10 stamens and a nonfunctional carpel. In carpellate flowers there staminodes and the ovary is superior and subtended by a 10 lobed glandular disc. The fruit is an orange yellow drupe at maturity.

Habitat: Spondias mombin grows in Human Altered environments (yards, gardens, farms).

Distribution: Spondias mombin is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago but is grown throughout the islands.  It is native to other parts of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and northern South America. It is widely grown as a fruit tree in tropical and subtropical zones.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Spondias mombin is a desired cultivated species for its extremely tasty fruits.

Spondias mombin is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.