Muntingia calabura

Muntingia calabura L.

Common Names: Jamaican Cherry, Panama Berry, Capulin

Family: Muntingiaceae

Habit: Muntingia calabura grows as a small shrub to 8 m in height.  The leaves are 2-ranked, arranged alternately to 14 cm, oblong to lanceolate with a crenate/serrate leaf margin, an acuminate leaf apex and oblique leaf base. Twigs and the leaves, abaxially, are stellate pubescent.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are 1-3 in leaf axils The calyx has 5 unfused greenish sepals. The corolla has 5, unfused, deciduous, white petals.  There are numerous stamens.  The ovary is superior with 5 locules and numerous seeds.  The fruit is a yellow aging to red berry.

Habitat: Muntingia calabura grows in Human Altered environments (yards, gardens, farms)

Distribution: Muntingia calabura is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago but has been observed on New Providence.  It is native to Central and South America.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Muntingia calabura is not used medicinally in the Bahamas.

It is grown as a fruit tree