| Wongi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Manilkara |
| Species: | M. kauki |
| Binomial name | |
| Manilkara kauki (L.) Dubard[1] |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Mimusops kauki L. (basionym)[1][2][3] |
|
Manilkara kauki is a plant in the subfamily Sapotoideae, and the tribe Sapoteae of the Sapotaceae family;[3] and is the type species for the genus Manilkara.[2] It occurs in tropical Asia from Indo-China (Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) to Malesia(Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea); and also in northern Queensland in Australia. Throughout the world it is known generally by the name caqui,[3] but in Australia it is called wongi.
The leaves are rigid, blunt-tipped, dark-green on the upper leaf face, and pale and silky below. The edible, orange-red fruit is 3-4 cm long.[4]
For reforestation purposes, M. kauki is a useful graft stock for M. zapota, and parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine.[3] The fruit is reported to be very tasty, and is traditionally eaten by Torres Strait Islanders, who travel from island to island to harvest the crop.