Abelmoschus esculentus (L - the University of Maine at Fort Kent

Kermath, Bennett and Pulsipher - Food Plants in the Americs
SPANISH: piña silvestre
USES/NOTES: Acid fruits are edible and medicinal.
NATURAL RANGE: Northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil
REFERENCES: Bennett 2000, Berg 1984, Martin et al. 1987, Silva et al.
1977
Ananas bracteatus (Lindley) Schultes f. in Roemer & Schultes
FAMILY: Bromeliaceae (pineapple)
PORTUGUESE: ananás-de-cerca, carauatá
SPANISH: karaguatá ruhá, piña de playón
USES/NOTES: Fruits are edible. Leaf fiber is used for hammocks.
NATURAL RANGE: Northern Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Ecuador, and
Colombia
REFERENCES: Bennett 2000, Brücher 1989, Facciola 1990, Martin et al.
1987
NATURAL RANGE: Colombia to Surinam through Brazil to northern Paraguay
REFERENCES: Bennett 2000, Brücher 1989, Hoyas 1989, Smith et al. 1992
Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. [syn. A. parguazensis Camargo & L.B. Sm.,
A. sativus Schultes f., Ananassa sativa Lindley, Bromelia comosa
L.]
FAMILY: Bromeliaceae (pineapple)
ENGLISH: pineapple, wild pineapple (A. parguazensis)
PORTUGUESE: abacaxi, abacaxi-do-campo, ananaí(A. parguazensis),
ananás, gravatá (A. parguazensis), nana, nanás
SPANISH: abacachí, abacaxí, aberas, achupalla, ananá, ananás, ananáz,
cacama, chulu, chiju, garrafón piña, gebero piña, huacamayo piña,
jambo piña, lagarto piña, matzalt, osi, piña, piña blanca, piña de
América, piña de azúcar, piña de Indias, piña montañera (A.
parguazensis), piña negra, piña silvestre (A. parguazensis), piña
tropical
USES/NOTES: Highly esteemed edible fruits of this domesticated species
are the pineapples of world commerce. Bromelain, from the fruit and
leaf are used medicinally and as a meat tenderizer. Juice from the
leaf is made into a sugary syrup and alcoholic beverages. The plant
is also grown for the leaf fiber and as an ornamental. Introduced
to the Old World in 1548 by the Portuguese. Wild growing escapees
exhibit smaller, seedy fruits than their cultivated counterparts
and have been recognized as A. parguazensis.
NATURAL RANGE: probably domesticated in southwestern to south-central
Brazil from wild progenitors that ranged from southwestern Brazil
through northern Paraguay; A. parguazensis is described as ranging
from Colombia to Surinam through Brazil to northern Paraguay
REFERENCES: Anochili and Tindall 1986, Bennett 2000, Brücher 1989,
Boom 1987, Cárdenas 1969, Cavalcante 1991, Duke 1986, Duke and
Vásquez 1994, Estrella 1991, Guia Rural n.d., Hoyas 1989, IBGE
1980, Kermath (notes), León 1987, Purseglove 1972, Rehm and Espig
1991, Smith et al. 1992, Zeven and Zhukovsky 1975
DRAFT - DO NOT DUPLICATE OR DISTRIBUTE
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