RARE FRUIT NAMES

The first question asked by most people, when they are introduced to a fruit or vegetable they have never seen before is, "What is it called?" The answer is usually a common name of the plant and this is where the problem starts.

Each plant has one botanical name. This name is often too long or too difficult to remember to be used by most people, so common names are more often used.

There are no limits to the number of common names that a plant may have. Efforts are regularly made to try and reduce the number of common names used for each plant and occasionally institutions draw up lists of preferred common names or standard common names.

In 1984 B. Watson, W. Lewis, D. Maggs and P. Page compiled an 80-page booklet called AUSTROFRUIT I - checklist of tropical and sub-tropical crops' botanical and common names. This book is very comprehensive and valuable but not readily available.

The folowing list indicates preferred common names of many fruits (the first name in the common name list). To avoid confusion, the plant's botanical name is also listed.

COMMON NAMESBOTANICAL NAMESCOMMON NAMESBOTANICAL NAMES

ABIUPouteria caimitoJAMBOLANSyzygium cumini
ACEROLA (Barbados cherry)Malpighia glabraJELLY PALMButia capitata
AKEEBlighia sapidaJOJOBASimmondsia chinensis
AMBARELLA (Great hog plum, Vi apple) Spondias dulcisKEPELStelechocarpus burahol
ARACA (Guisaro)Psidium guineenseKIWIFRUIT (Kiwi fruit,
Chinese gooseberry)
Actinidia chinensis
AVOCADOPersea americanaKOCHIN GOROKA (Yellow mangosteen)Garcinia xanthochymus
BABACOCarica sp.KUINIMangifera odorata
BAKUPARIRheedia brasiliensisKUMQUAT (Cumquat)Citrus sp.
BANANAMusa sp.KURANDA NUTElaeocarpus bancroftii
BAEL FRUITAegle marmelosKWAIMUKArtocarpus hypargyreus
BELL FRUIT(Water apple)Syzygium aqueumLANGSATLansium domesticum
BETEL NUTAreca catechuLEMONCitrus limon
BIGNAY (Antidesma) Antidesma buniusLONGANEuphoria longan
BILIMBIAverrhoa bilimbiLOQUATEriobotrya japonica
BIRIBARollinia mucosaLYCHEE (litchi,Litchee)Litchi chinensis
BIXABixa orellanaMABOLO (Velvet apple, butter fruit)Diospyros discolor
BLACK PERSIMMON (Black sapote, Chocolate fruit, Choc. persimmon)Diospyros digynaMACADAMIA (Macadamia
nut, Queensland nut)
Macadamia sp.
BRAZIL CHERRIES (Pitanga)Eugenia unifloraMADRONORheedia madruno
BRAZIL NUTBertholletia excelsaMALAY APPLE (pomerac)Syzygium malaccense
BREADFRUITArtocarpus altilisMAMEY SAPOTE (Mamey, Mamee, Zabotillo) Pouteria sapota
BUNYA NUT(Bunya pine)Araucaria bidwilliiMAMEYITORheedia edulis
BURDEKIN PLUMPleiogynium cerasiferumMAMMEA (Mamey, Mammey)Mammea americana
CAIMITO (Cainito, Star Apple)Chrysophyllum cainitoMAMONCILLOMelicoccus bijugatus
CALAMONDINCitrofortunella mitisMANGOMangifera indica
CANARI NUTCanarium communeMANGOSTEEN, PURPLEGarcinia mangostana
CANDLE NUTAleurites moluccanaMAPRANGBouea macrophylla
CANISTEL(Yellow sapote,
Egg fruit)
Pouteria campechianaMARANGArtocarpus odoratissimus
CARAMBOLA (Five Corner, Star fruit)Averrhoa carambolaMATISIA (Chupa, South American sapote)Quararibea cordata
CARISSA (Natal plum)Carissa grandifloraMIRACLE FRUITSynsepalum dulcificum
CAROB (Carob bean, St. Johns bread)Ceratonia siliquaMONSTERA (Monsterio)Monstera deliciosa
CASHEW (Cashew nut,
Cashew fruit)
Anacardium occidentaleNARANJILLASolanum quitoense
CASIMIROA (White sapote)Casimiroa edulisNUTMEGMyristica fragrans
CHEMPEDAK (Champadek, cempedak)Artocarpus polyphemaOKARI NUTTerminalia kaernbachii
CHERIMOYA(Cherimoyer)Annona cherimolaOYSTER NUTTelfairia pedata
CHERMAI (Star gooseberry)Phyllanthus acidusPANAMA BERRYMuntingia calabura
CHINESE JUJUBEZizyphus jujubaPANDANPandanus odorus
CITRANGECitroncirus webberiPAPAYA (papaws, pawpaw, Paw pawCarica papaya
COCOA (Cacao)Theobroma cacaoPASSIONFRUITPassiflora sp.
COCO-DE-MERLodoicea maldivicaPEJIBAYEBactris gasipaes
COCONASolanum sessiliflorumPERSIMMON (Fujifruit, non-astringent only, Japanese persimmon)Diospyros digyna
COCO PLUMChrysobalanus icacoPILI NUTCanarium ovatum
COCONUTCocos nuciferaPITAYA (Yellow pitaya/purple pitayaHylocereus sp.
COFFEE, Arabica coffeeCoffea arabicaPLANTAINMusa spp.
CUSTARD APPLES (Atemoya)Annona sp.PULASANNephelium mutabile
DATES (Date palm)Phoenix dactyliferaPURPLE MOMBIN Spondias purpurea
DAVIDSON PLUMDavidsonia pruriensPOMEGRANATE (Pommegranate)Punica granatum
DILLENIA (Elephant apple)Dillenia indicaPOND APPLEAnnona glabra
DOVYALIS (Ceylon gooseberry, kitembilla)Dovyalis hebecarpaPUMMELOCitrus maxima
DUKULansium domesticumRAMBUTANNephelium lappaceum
DURIANDurio zibethinusROLLlNIARollinia deliciosa
FEIJOA (Pineapple guava)Feijoa sellowianaROSEAPPLESyzygium jambos
FIGSFicus caricaSALAKSalacca edulis
FIJI LONGAN (Taun, dawa)Pometia pinnataSANTOL (Sentul)Sandoricum koetjape
GALIP NUTCanarium mehenbetheneSAPODILLA (Chicosapote, Chico)Manilkara zapota
GRANADILLA(Grandadilla)Passiflora quadrangularisSEAGRAPECoccoloba uvifera
GRAPEFRUIT (pomelo)Citrus sp.SEEDED BREADFRUIT (Breadnut)Artocarpus altilis
GREEN SAPOTEPouteria viridisSONCOYAAnnona purpurea
GRUMICHAMA (Brazil cherry)Eugenia brasiliensisSWEETSOP (Sugar apple, Squamosa)Annona squamosa
GUAMO (Inga bean)Inga spp.TAHITI LIME (Persian lime)Citrus latifolia
GUANABANA (Soursops)Annona muricataTAMARINDTamarindus indica
GUAVAPsidium guajavaUVILLA (Amazon tree grape)Pourouma cecropiaefolia
ILAMAAnnona diversifoliaVANILLAVanilla planifolia
INDIAN ALMONDTerminalia sp.WAMPEE (Wampi)Clausena lansium
INDIAN FIG (Prickly pears, tuna, cactus fruit)Opuntia ficus-indicaWAX JAMBUSyzygium samarangense
INDIAN JUJUBEZizyphus mauritiaWEST INDIAN LIME (Mexican lime)Citrus aurantifolia
JABOTICABAMyrciaria caulifloraWOOD APPLEFeronia limonia
JACKFRUIT (Jak fruit)Artocarpus heterophyllusYELLOW MOMBIN (Hog plum)Spondias mombin
Roger Goebel

DATE: July 1989

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