| Caryocar nuciferum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Caryocaraceae |
| Genus: | Caryocar |
| Species: | C. nuciferum |
| Binomial name | |
| Caryocar nuciferum L. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Caryocar tomentosum Willd. |
|
Caryocar nuciferum, the Butter-nut of Guiana, is also known as Pekea-nut, or – like all other species of Caryocar with edible nuts – "souari-nut" or "sawarri-nut". It is a fruit tree native to northern Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Panama, and Venezuela.
It grows up to 35 m, in humid forests. Flowers are hermaphroditic and in small clusters. The large coconut-sized fruit, weighs about 3 kg and is 10–15 cm in diameter, is round or pear-shaped, and greyish-brown in colour. It is covered with rust-coloured lenticels. The outer skin is leathery and about 1 mm thick. Pulp of the mesocarp is oily and sticky, holding 1-4 hard, woody, warty stones, with tasty reniform endocarp, which is eaten raw or roasted, and produces an edible oil. The wood is durable and used for boat-building. It is an effective healing balm if the oil of its nuts are squeezed out correctly. It is a colourful tree, and very good for burning.