From Common trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
by Elbert L. Little and Frank H. Wadsworth
Soapberry Family (Sapindaceae)
Quenepa, kinep, Spanish-lime
Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq.
Quenepa is a familiar exotic tree planted for its edible fruit
and shade. It is distinguished by: (1) erect form and a dense
symmetrical globular crown of dulll light green foliage; (2) pinnate
leaves with 4 paired elliptic leaflets 3-5 inches long and 1 1/4-2 1/4
inches broad, long-or short- pointed at both ends and slightly oblique
at base, almost stalkless along an axis sometimes winged; and (3) small
greenish-white fragrant flowers about 3/16 inch across, very numerous
in terminal branched clusters; and (4) round or elliptic green fruits
7/8-1 1/4 inches in diameter with thin, sweet and acid, juicy
flesh and 1 (sometimes 2) large seed.
An evergreen tree
becoming 40-60 feet high, with trunk 1-2 feet in diameter, slightly
angled and fluted. The bark is gray and smoothish, the inner bark
orange brown, gritty, and tasteless. Twigs are brown or gray, greenish
when young.
The alternate leaves are 6-8 inches long, with light
green axis 2 1/2-3 inches long. Leaflets are thin, not toothed on edges,
the pair at apex larger.
Flower clusters (panicles) are 3-6
inches long and broad, with several to many narrow branches. Flowers
are mostly male and female on different trees but partly of both sexes
(polygamous), on spreading stalks 1/4 inch long. Calyx is deeply 4-or
5-lobed, the lobes more than 1/16 inch long; there are 4 or 5 rounded
greenish-white petals about 1/8 inch long; 8-10 stamens on a disk; and
pistil composed of 2-or 3-celled ovary with short style and 2-or
3-lobed stigma.
Fruits (drupes), borne in clusters, are marketed
for their thin flesh, which is gelatinous and slightly flbrous,
yellowish to salmon colored, and suggestive of grapes.The pale yellow
elliptic seeds 3/4-1 2/8 inches long are edible when roasted.
Flowering in spring (April to June), the fruits maturing from June to
September.
The sap wood is slight brown, and the heart wood
light brown or pale yellow gray. The wood is of medium weight and fairly
hard but reportedly not resistant to decay. Elsewhere it has been used
in construction, interiorwork, and cabinets.
Besides furnishing fruit and shade, the trees are honey plants, their pleasantly scented flowers attracting bees.
Planted
as a fruit and shade tree and along highways in Puerto Rico and
escaping from cultivation. Commonest in the dry coastal region. Also in
Mona, St.Croix, St.Thomas, St.John, and Tortola.
Range - Native of Colombia, Venezuela, and Guianas. Widely planted and escaping
or naturalized throughout West Indies from Bahamas and Cuba to Trinidad
and Curasao. Cultivated also in southern Florida and California,
Bermuda, Central America, Ecuador, and perhaps elsewhere in tropical
America. Also introduced in Asia.
Other Common Names - genip, ginep (Virgin Islands); mamon (Spanish, commerce); mamoncillo
(Spanish); quenepa (Puerto Rico, Colombia); limoncillo, quenepa
(Dominican Republic); escanjocote (Nicaragua); mamon de Cartagena
(Costa Rica); Spanish-lime, genip, mamoncillo (United States); genip
(English); chenet (Trinidad); quenepe (Haiti); quenette, quenettier,
kenepier (Guadeloupe); quenette (French Guiana); kenepa, kiimup-tree
(Dutch West Indies); knippen (Surinam).
Botanical Synonyms - Meliccoca bijuga L.
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Bibliography
Little, Elbert L., and Frank H. Wadsworth. "Common trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands." Series: Agriculture handbook no. 249, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, pp. 306-307, July 1964, Biodiversity Heritage Library, doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.4135. Accessed 5 Feb. 2020.
Published 5 Feb. 2020 LR
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