Bunchosia
Bunchosia is a genus in the Malpighiaceae, a family of about 71 genera of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It currently contains 92 species of trees and shrubs, which are native to relatively dry woodlands, savannas, and wet forests. Their range extends from Mexico and the Caribbean to Peru, southern Brazil and northeast Argentina. Bunchosia is one of three arborescent genera of Malpighiaceae with fleshy, bird-dispersed fruits, the other two being Malpighia and Byrsonima.
Etymology
Antoine Laurent De Jussieu explained the name of the genus as from the resemblance of the paired seeds, flat on one side and convex on the other, to coffee beans. He stated that the name was from one of the old Arabic words for coffee: bunchos. At least one species is said to have poisonous seeds.
Selected species
Bunchosia argentea DC. - silver peanut butter fruit, marmelo, mountain plum. A wild species with leaves abaxially sericeous, giving a silvery appearance.Bunchosia armeniaca DC. - cansaboca, friar's plum. Bunchosia biocellata Schltdl.Bunchosia cauliflora W.R.AndersonBunchosia cornifolia KunthBunchosia costaricensis RoseBunchosia fluminensis - cachita, muchita or cafezinho do mato. Flavour resembles corn and papaya.Bunchosia glandulifera Kunth - peanut butter fruit. Most popular and widespread species in cultivation.Bunchosia glandulosa DC.Bunchosia hartwegiana Benth.Bunchosia hookeriana A.Juss.Bunchosia jamaicensis Urb. & Ndz.Bunchosia lindeniana A.Juss.Bunchosia linearifolia P.WilsonBunchosia mcvaughii W.R.AndersonBunchosia pallescens Skottsb. - usama or pale bunchosia.Bunchosia praecox W.R.AndersonBunchosia sonorensis RoseBunchosia tutensis Dobson
Formerly placed here