Genipa americana (/ˈdʒɛnɪpə/) is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
| Genipa americana | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Genipa |
| Species: | G. americana
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| Binomial name | |
| Genipa americana | |
| Synonyms | |
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List
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Description
editGenipa americana trees are up to 30 m tall and up to 60 cm dbh.[2][3][4] Their bark is smooth with little fissures.[4] The leaves are opposite, obovate, or obovate oblong, 10–35 cm long, 6–13 cm wide, and glossy dark green, with entire margin, acute or acuminate apex, and attenuated base.[2][5][3] The inflorescences are cymes up to 10 cm long.[2] The flowers are white to yellowish, slightly fragrant, calyx bell-shaped, corolla at 2–4.5 cm long, trumpet-shaped, and five- or six-lobed.[2][5][3] The five short stamens are inserted on top of the corolla tube.[5] The fruit is a thick-skinned edible greyish berry 10–12 cm long, 5–9 cm in diameter.[2][5]
Distribution and habitat
editGenipa americana is native to the tropical forests of the Americas, from the Caribbean south to Argentina.[2][6][7] It is present from sea level up to 1200 m of elevation,[4] although some argue the original native range as being northern South America.[8]
Vernacular names
editIn English, the tree is known as the genip tree /ˈdʒɛnɪp/ and the fruit as genipap /ˈdʒɛnɪpæp/.[9]
Colombia: jagua, caruto, huito;[4][6] Brazil: jenipapo, formerly genipapo;[4] Costa Rica: guaitil, tapaculo;[4] Nicaragua: tapaculo, yigualtí;[4] Mexico: shagua, xagua, maluco;[4][10] Perú: huito, vito, jagua;[6] Argentina: ñandipá;[6] Puerto Rico: jagua; Bolivia: bí[11]
Its name has been reconstructed as we'e (*weʔe) in Proto-Tucanoan.[12]
Chemical compounds
editThe following compounds have been isolated from G. americana: genipic acid,[10] genipinic acid,[10] genipin[13] (all three from the fruit) and geniposidic acid (leaves).[10]
Uses
editThe unripe fruit of G. americana yields a liquid used as a dye for tattoos, skin painting, insect repellent[7] and food.[14]
This species is also cultivated for its edible fruits, which are eaten in preserves or made into drinks, jelly, or ice cream.[7]
The wood is reported to be resistant, strong, and easily worked; it is used in the making of utensils and in construction and carpentry.[3][4]
Gallery
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Tree -
Leaves and fruits
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Rotton, H. (2021). "Genipa americana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T61958206A61958208. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T61958206A61958208.en. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Liogier, Alain H. (1985). Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands. La Editorial, UPR. p. 97. ISBN 9780847723386.
- ^ a b c d Francis, Macbride, J.; E., Dahlgren, B. (1936). "Flora of Peru /". Fieldiana. v.13:pt.6:no.1 [Rubiaceae]: 106.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i López, René; Montero, Martín (2005). "27 - Genipa americana". Manual de identificación de especies forestales con manejo certificable por comunidades (in Spanish). Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas "SINCHI". ISBN 9789589759745.
- ^ a b c d Food and Fruit-bearing Forest Species: Examples from Latin America. FAO. 1986. pp. 141. ISBN 9789251023723.
- ^ a b c d Grandtner, M. M.; Chevrette, Julien (2013). Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press. p. 263. ISBN 9780123969545.
- ^ a b c Hanelt, Peter; Research, Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant (2001). Mansfeld's Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: (Except Ornamentals). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 1775. ISBN 9783540410171.
- ^ Duarte, Odilo; Paull, Robert (2015). Exotic Fruits and Nuts of the New World. CABI. pp. 284–285. ISBN 9781780645056.
- ^ "genip, genipap". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ a b c d Connolly, J.D.; Hill, R.A. (1991). Dictionary of Terpenoids. Vol. 1. CRC Press. pp. 49–50. ISBN 9780412257704.
- ^ Coimbra Sanz, Germán (2014). Diccionario enciclopédico cruceño, 3rd edition. Santa Cruz de la Sierra: Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de Santa Cruz. p. 54.
- ^ Chacon, Thiago (2013). On Proto-Languages and Archaeological Cultures: pre-history and material culture in the Tukanoan Family. In Revista Brasileira de Linguística Antropológica. Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 217–245.
- ^ Bajaj, Y. P. S. (2012). Medicinal and Aromatic Plants IV. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 164. ISBN 9783642770043.
- ^ Kupferschmidt, Kai (15 June 2023). "Natural Blue". Science. Retrieved 18 June 2024.