Flora of North America species comparison

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Chrysobalanus icaco

Chrysobalanus icaco subsp. icaco

coco plum, icaco, icaco coco plum
Photo is of parent taxon

coco-plum
Habit Shrubs or trees 1–5 m; stems usually arising singly.
Twigs

reddish, glabrate, lenticels elliptic, pith tan;

bark striate.
Leaves

stipules ovate, 0.8–2.5 mm;

petiole 2–3 mm;

blade broadly elliptic, broadly ovate or broadly obovate, 3.5–6 × 3–5 cm, length 1.2–1.5 times width, base cuneate, obtuse, or rounded, margins revolute, apex emarginate, rounded or obtuse, surfaces glabrescent except for scattered hairs along midvein.
Thyrses

rachis densely hairy;

bracteoles caducous, sessile, ovate, 1.5 mm.
Flowers

hypanthium 2.5–3 mm;

sepals ovate to triangular, 1 mm, both surfaces densely strigose;

petals white, spatulate to narrowly spatulate, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous, margins erose, apex obtuse.
Drupes

white, yellow-green, pink, red, dark purple, or black, (1.2–)1.5–2(–2.5) cm;

endocarp 6-ribbed with secondary ribs.
2n

= 22.

Chrysobalanus icaco

Chrysobalanus icaco subsp. icaco
Phenology Flowering year-round.
Habitat Hammocks, beaches, frequently calcareous (shelly) sands.
Elevation 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; e South America; w Africa [Introduced in Pacific Islands]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; e South America [Introduced in Pacific Islands]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (1 in the flora).

Subspecies atacorensis (A. Chevalier) F. White is found in western tropical Africa (G. T. Prance and C. A. Sothers 2003).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Chrysobalanus icaco is known in the flora area only from southern Florida. Leaf morphology varies widely and has prompted a proliferation of names for this taxon. The fruits are eaten, and their flavor varies from a taste of marshmallow to apple; they have folk medicinal value in tropical areas. Although preserved as a foodstuff and used as an ornamental, the species has little current economic value in Florida; it is being investigated for cultivation there as a tropical fruit.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 366. FNA vol. 12, p. 366.
Parent taxa Chrysobalanaceae > Chrysobalanus Chrysobalanaceae > Chrysobalanus > Chrysobalanus icaco
Subordinate taxa
C. icaco subsp. icaco
Synonyms C. interior, C. pellocarpus
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. P 1. 1: 513. (1753) unknown
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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