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Family: Rosaceae
Loquat, more... (es: Níspero, níspero de japón)
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Descripción: Arboles de 5-10 m de alto. Hojas simples y alternas, de 12-30 x 6-8 cm, obovadas a oblanceoladas, con ápice agudo a obtuso, bordes dentados o ligeramente dentados y base decurrente. Las hojas usualmente salen en grupos a lo largo de las ramitas, son verdes y brillantes en al haz y blancas o cremas por el envés. Pecíolo corto y robusto. Flores blancas, aromáticas. Fruto tipo pomo, de 3-4 cm de largo, verdes, tornándose amarillos al madurar. Datos Ecológicos: La especie es nativa de China. En Panamá se encuentra como planta cultivada en tierras altas de la provincia de Chiriquí, común y fácil de observar en los alrededores del pueblo de Volcán. Florece y fructifica de mayo a noviembre. Especies Parecidas: Por la forma del fruto a menudo se confunde con plantas de la familia Myrtaceae, pero las Myrtaceae tienen hojas opuestas. Por su nombre común muchas personas piensan que la especie se encuentra en la familia Sapotaceae, pero las Sapotaceae tienen savia lechosa. Usos: Los frutos maduros son comestibles. Bocas Species Database Habitat: The Loquat tree will be found in regions between sea level and up 1200 m of altitude. It favors moist but well drained soils. It is a tree that requires a lot of sun and will be tolerant only to light shade. Distribution: This tree species is native to southeastern China but was rapidly introduced to Japan. Loquat is now cultivated in several countries like France, Spain, Morocco and other countries from the Mediterranean region. It is also present in New Zealand, Madagascar, California and in several countries of Central and South America. Natural History Notes: The fruit Loquat has a sweet flavor and is rich in vitamin A. It is usually used to make jellies and pies. However, it is recommended to not eat the fruit when unripe because its potential toxicity. The leaf is also mashed and used to cure coughs. Characteristics: Loquat is a small evergreen (presence of leaves throughout the whole year) tree that can be 7 to 10 meters high. This tree has large, thick green leaves that are oval shaped and spatially positioned opposite to each other. A leaf can have a length between 15 and 25 cm. We also distinguish small brown hairs on the undersurface surface of the lead. The tree produces beautiful small white flowers during the months of November to December and then the fruit is produced around June. The fruit is yellow or intense orange when it is at its optimum state of ripeness and has a round to oval shape. Inside the fruit, we can see the white flesh and brown seeds that come from the only ovule of 5 that reached maturity. |