THE TRUE BACURI

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Platonia insignis
FAMILY: Guttiferae

The true bacuri (Platonia insignis Mart.) is one of the most popular fruits of eastern Amazonia, where it appears to be indigenous. Its distribution includes most of eastern Amazonia and it spreads southward and westward along the southern limits of the Amazon forest, reaching Bolivia and Paraguay. Throughout this range it is found growing vigorously on poor soils, preferring somewhat open areas and seldom being found in the high forest. The tree attains up to 25 metres and has a relatively open crown that is seldom fully leaved. The fruit is medium to large, round to oblong in shape, with a slightly elastic rind about 1 to 1.5 cm thick. This rind exudes a yellow latex when bruised or cut which is typical of many of the Amazonian Guttiferae. There are 1 to 5 large, rough, brown seeds, each surrounded by 1 to 5 mm of a soft, juicy, white pulp. When a seed does not develop, the pulp grows to fill most of the space, thus producing a segment of nearly pure pulp, which of course, is greatly appreciated. The pulp has a strong, though agreeable flavour, that often needs some time to be fully appreciated. Fruit may vary in size from 200 to 1000g. A tree may produce 200 to 800 fruit in a season.

In Belem, Para, the Bacuri is widely used in flavouring ice cream, popsicles, and milkshakes, jams and jellies and as filling for pies, for pastries as well as being consumed fresh. This wide range of uses makes the bacuri one of the fruit species with the greatest potential of becoming an agricultural crop in that region. Because it grows well on poor soils and can be vegetatively propagated by root cuttings or grafting, the bacuri appears to be a promising crop for small farmers who cannot afford much fertiliser and other inputs. However, there are still no plantations of this species, all production coming from the several trees that are found in most rural backyards near Belem. (From an article on Underexploited Amazonian Fruits by Charles R Clement, Institueo National de Pesquisas da Amazonia, INP A, ex. Postal 478,6900, Amazonas, Brazil. Extract from RFCI Inc. News May, 1989.)

THE BACURY

The bacury, Platonia insignis Mart. (family Guttiferae) is almost unknown outside its native Brazil and Paraguay, where it is well-distributed and widely used. It is a large (25 metres) tree that tends to become weedy, to spread, and to dominate adjacent vegetation. The trunk is strong and straight, supporting an inverted cone-shaped crown. The leaves are opposite, elliptical, thick, and shiny green, with slightly undulate margins.

The attractive, pink flowers are large (7-centimetre diameter) and have five petals and numerous stamens partially united in five groups. The flowers are produced during the dry season and mature as the rainy season begins.

The fruit is large and ovoid or almost globose and weighs about 900 grams. The fruit contains one to several segments (like those of an orange) of white pulp with an agreeable flavour. Each segment may contain one large seed, but some fruits are seedless; these are preferred. The pulp may be eaten fresh, out of hand, or it may be made into a drink or stewed. The tree is considered very easy to grow and may sprout from the roots. Because of its weedy tendency and persistence, it should be tried in new regions with extreme caution.

From Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics: An Inventory, USDA Agriculture Handbook No.642. Ch.8 "Fruits meriting wider distribution".
Extract from RFCI Inc. News May, 1989

DATE: March 1997

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