Garcinia humilis

Achacha
Two Achacha fruits with a seed
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Clusiaceae
Genus: Garcinia
Species:
G. humilis
Binomial name
Garcinia humilis
(Vahl) C.D.Adams
Synonyms[2]
  • Mammea humilis Vahl (1798) (basionym)
  • Mammea humilis var. plumieri Griseb.
  • Mammea humilis var. vahlii Griseb.
  • Mammea lateriflora Griseb.
  • Garcinia lateriflora (L.) C.D.Adams ex Alain
  • Rheedia americana Christm.
  • Rheedia humilis (Vahl) Kosterm.
  • Rheedia lateriflora L.
  • Rheedia sessiliflora Planch. ex Vesque
  • Rheedia sieberi Choisy
  • Malpighia mitis Rchb. ex Griseb.

Garcinia humilis, known commonly as abricot,[1] is a species of flowering plant related to the mangosteen. It is a tree native to the Caribbean – Haiti, Jamaica, the Leeward and Windward Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago – and Guyana.[2] It grows in moist lowland and submontane forests, often in seasonally-flooded river deltas and ravines. In Jamaica it also grows in moist forest on karst limestone hillsides.[1]

A small, prolifically fruiting Bolivian tree known as achachairú or achacha is grown as a commercial crop in northern Australia. It is commonly identified as Garcinia humilis, but is more likely Garcinia gardneriana.[3][4]

The species was first described as Mammea humilis by Martin Vahl in 1798. In 1970 Charles Dennis Adams placed the species in genus Garcinia as G. humilis.[2]

Appearance

Seed

The achacha is egg-shaped and up to 6 cm long by 4 cm in diameter. It takes on a reddish-orange shade when mature. There is usually one significant coffee-coloured seed, but larger fruit may have more than one seed.

Eating the fruit

The taste is strongly sweet and tart, with more citrus-like acidity than the purple mangosteen. The rather tough, bitter rind can be split open with a knife or with the teeth, and the edible part of the fruit consumed with the seed.

The Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has found that the fruit keeps well for four to six weeks as long as it stays out of the fridge. It recommends storing the fruit at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius with a high relative humidity. If these conditions are not met, the fruit will shrivel.[5]

The glossy orange rinds of the achacha may be put in a blender with water. Once pureed and then strained to remove all of the solids, this liquid may be diluted and sweetened to one's taste, then chilled for a refreshing summer drink.

Season

The achacha is in season from November to January in Bolivia and from December to mid-March in Australia.[6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Timyan, J. (2023). "Garcinia humilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T213408801A213978662. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T213408801A213978662.en. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Garcinia humilis (Vahl) C.D.Adams". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  3. ↑ Fern, Ken. "Garcinia humilis". Useful Tropical Plants. Tropical Plants Database. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Cotty-Más, M. et al. 2019. Postharvest quality of achachairú (Garcinia gardneriana) stored at ambient temperature. The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico. 103, 2 (Apr. 2019), 155–172. DOI:https://doi.org/10.46429/jaupr.v103i2.18227.
  5. ↑ Staight K (13 February 2011). "True Bolivia". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corp., ABC Online Services.
  6. ↑ "El achachairú otro tesoro que Bolivia deja escapar". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  7. ↑ Thomas, Gail (14 February 2012). "Five ways with achacha". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
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