Pouteria multiflora

This week I saw and ate a fruit I’d never heard of before.

They were scattered about the jungle floor beneath the canopy of multiple towering trees and I couldn’t see the tree from which they fell.

The flavor was much like a canistel (which is one of the trees I planted in The Great South Florida Food Forest Project – photo here) and when I saw the seeds inside, I knew it must be in the same family, though I hadn’t yet seen the leaves.

Wandering around to the bottom of the property, I spotted a smaller specimen with some unripe fruit on it.

And here is a handful of ripe fruit I picked up, held up next to the leaves:

I’m 99% certain this is Pouteria multiflora, AKA “jácana.”

There isn’t much edible on the fruits, really, just a skin of crumbly, yellow flesh with the texture of a well-cooked egg yolk and a sweet flavor similar to sweet potato.

I saved the seeds and will be planting them, as you see here:

Pouteria multiflora “yields very good timber that can be used for mill rollers, frames, furniture, and house building. Acana wood is light colored, fine and straight grained, hard, very heavy, strong, durable, and can be polished to shine. The pores are small and arranged in radial rows. Pith rays narrow and indistinct.” (Infogalactic)

Even if it’s not the greatest fruit in the world, it’s good and my children liked the fruit I brought home for them to try.

If I get tired of the trees or they get too big for the new food forest I’m planning to plant, it’s nice to know they can be turned into furniture.

It’s a relative of my second favorite tropical fruit, the mamey sapote (which is tied with black sapote at #2, by the way, and sometimes one or the other of them jump in front of my #1 top favorite, the mango, so don’t take this rating system too seriously).

I’ll let you know how germinating the seeds goes.

Have a wonderful Lord’s Day.

 

136 ALABAD á Jehová, porque es bueno; Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

2 Alabad al Dios de los dioses, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

3 Alabad al Señor de los señores, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

4 Al solo que hace grandes maravillas, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

5 Al que hizo los cielos con entendimiento, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

6 Al que tendió la tierra sobre las aguas, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

7 Al que hizo las grandes luminarias, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

8 El sol para que dominase en el día, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

9 La luna y las estrellas para que dominasen en la noche, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

10 Al que hirió á Egipto en sus primogénitos, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

11 Al que sacó á Israel de en medio de ellos, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

12 Con mano fuerte, y brazo extendido, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

13 Al que dividió el mar Bermejo en partes, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

14 E hizo pasar á Israel por medio de él, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

15 Y arrojó á Faraón y á su ejército en el mar Bermejo, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

16 Al que pastoreó á su pueblo por el desierto, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

17 Al que hirió grandes reyes, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

18 Y mató reyes poderosos, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

19 A Sehón rey Amorrheo, Porque para siempre es su misericordia,

20 Y á Og rey de Basán, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

21 Y dió la tierra de ellos en heredad, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

22 En heredad á Israel su siervo, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

23 El es el que en nuestro abatimiento se acordó de nosotros, Porque para siempre es su misericordia;

24 Y nos rescató de nuestros enemigos, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

25 El da mantenimiento á toda carne, Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

26 Alabad al Dios de los cielos: Porque para siempre es su misericordia.

 

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever – Psalm 136 (ESV)

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

7 to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

15 but overthrew[a] Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

17 to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

18 and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

20 and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

21 and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

22 a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

24 and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

25 he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.