Fwd: Top 20 Fruits You Probably Don’t Know

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manudev madhavan

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Jul 25, 2011, 1:55:10 AM7/25/11
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Got this forwarded mail from my friend....





Top 20 Fruits You Probably Don’t Know

192

I was playing a game the other day, in which you have to come up with fruit that starts with every letter of the alphabet. Apple, banana, cherry…. and that is about where I hit a blank. My epic failure at this game made me do some research and what I discovered was a whole world of delicious looking fruit that I had never even known about! I was completely shocked to find that there are actually hundreds of different types of fruit (no need to include them all as omissions in the comments), most of which I had never even heard of. This list is not to rank the fruit, but rather just to inform you about them. The only fruit on this list I consider ranked is No: 1, as it deserves the spot, in clearly being the coolest fruit on the planet. How many of these exotically delicious fruit have you tried?

20

Sugar Apple

Annona squamosa

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Sugar Apples or Sweetsop, is native to the tropical Americas, but is also widely grown in Pakistan, India and the Philippines. The fruit looks a bit like a pine cone, and are about 10 cm in diameter. Under the hard, lumpy skin is the fragrant, whitish flesh of the fruit, which covers several seeds inside, and has a slight taste of custard.

19

Mammee Apple

Mammea americana

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Mammee Apple, Mamey Apple or Santo Domingo Apricot is an evergreen tree, native to South America, which was introduced to various other regions of the world including West Africa and South East Asia. They can also be found in Florida and Hawaii. The Mammee apple is actually a berry and gets up to 20 cm in diameter. It has a thick outer rind, with soft orange to yellow pulp on the inside. It usually had one seed in the centre, but larger fruit have been known to carry up to 4. The pulp is sweet and fragrant.

18

Cherymoya

Annona cherimola

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Cherymoya, or custard apple, is a deciduous plant found in the high lying mountainous areas of South America. The fruit is vaguely round and is found with 3 types of skin – Impressa (indented), Tuberculate (covered in nodules) or intermediate (a combination of the first two). The flesh inside the skin is very fragrant, white, juicy and has a custard like consistency. It is said that the fruit tastes like a combination of banana, passion fruit, papaya and pineapple. Mark Twain said in 1866 “ the most delicious fruit known to men, cherimoya”

17

Platonia

Platonia insignis

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Platonia or Bacuri is a large tree (reaching 40m) found in the rain forests of Brazil and Paraguay. The fruit become the size of a orange, and have a thick yellow peel which oozes a yellow latex when pressed. Inside there is a sticky white pulp, wrapped around several black seeds, which tastes pleasant and has a sweet and sour flavor.

16

Cocona

Solanum sessiliflorum

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Cocona fruit is another tropical fruit found in the mountainous regions of South America. It grows on a small shrub, and can miraculously grow from seed to fruit in less than 9 months, after which the fruit will take another 2 months to ripen. The fruit is a berry and comes in red, orange or yellow. It has a similar appearance to tomatoes, and is said to taste like a mixture between tomatoes and lemons.

15

Breadfruit

Artocarpus altilis

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Breadfruit is a large tree, in the mulberry family, found native to the Philippines and all the islands in Southeast Asia. The fruit is similar to bananas, as they can be eaten raw when ripe, and cooked when unripe. The ripe fruit is soft and sweet, while the unripe fruit is harder and starchy, which is where it got the name breadfruit from, as it tastes similar to freshly baked bread when cooked.

14

Duku

Lansium domesticum

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Duku or lungsat are two very similar fruits found throughout Asia. They come from the same family, look and taste identical, with one difference. The skin of the lungsat contains a latex substance, which is not poisonous, but causes the skin to stick slightly to the fruit, whereas the duku has no latex and the peel is removed with more ease. Inside, the fruit has 5 segments, some of which has bitter seeds inside. It is a very sweet fruit and can be prepared in a number of different ways, including being canned in syrup or being dried like raisins.

13

Safou

Dacryodes edulis

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Safou is an evergreen tree found in the humid tropical forests of Africa, as far south as Angola, and as far north as Nigeria. The fruits are also known as African pears and are oblong dark blue to violet fruits up to 14cm in length, with pale green flesh inside. These fatty fruits have been said to have the ability to put an end to starvation in Africa, as 48% of the fruit is made up of essential fatty acids, amino acids, Vitamins and triglycerides. The have estimated that a one hectare plantation would be able to produce 7-8 tons of oil, and all parts of the plant can be used.

12

Jabuticaba

Myrciaria cauliflora

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Jabuticaba, or the Brazilian grape tree, is a very strange plant native to the South Eastern parts of Brazil. What makes this plant so strange is that it fruits from its trunk. No, I did not make that up, and no the picture has not been photo shopped. Initially, yellowish white flowers will appear all over the trunk and main branches, these flowers will then turn into fruit, about 3 – 4cm in diameter. Inside the thick purple skin is the soft gelatinous flesh of the fruit, along with 1 – 4 black seeds. The fruit is sweet and can be eaten as is or made into a wine or liqueur. Unfortunately, the fruit does not keep long when off the tree and will start to ferment after about 3 or 4 days.

11

Rambutan

Nephelium lappaceum

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Rambutan is an odd fruit that looks like a furry strawberry from the outside, and much like a lychee on the inside. It is native to South East Asia, but has been spread and a smaller “wild” version can be found in Costa Rica, where it is called a Chinese sucker. The fruit is an oval shape and about 3-6 cm in diameter. Inside the slightly hard, but easily peal able skin, you can find a soft fruit that tastes slightly sweet, with a possible sour tinge.

 

10Noni

Morinda citrifolia

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Noni, otherwise known by many different names around the world, including the great moringa, Indian mulberry, dog dumpling and pace, is related to the coffee bean plant and is native throughout South East Asia and Australasia, but is cultivated throughout the tropics. The tree carries fruit throughout the year and the fruit tend to have a very pungent odour when ripening (also known as the cheese fruit or vomit fruit). Despite the smell, the fruit is high in fibre, vitamin A, protein, Iron and calcium, and is the staple diet on many Pacific Islands. The fruit can either be cooked into a stew or eaten raw with salt.

9

Marula

Sclerocarya birrea

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

The Marula is a deciduous tree native to Southern and Eastern Africa. The distribution of the tree throughout Africa, follow the migratory patterns of the Bantu people, as it was an important source of food, and they planted more trees along their way. The green fruit ripens and turns yellow, the white flesh inside is succulent and has a very distinct flavor. After falling off the tree, the fruit will start to ferment and these draw in animals, like elephants and baboons, for a slightly alcoholic treat. The fruit is also used to make a popular liqueur called Amarula, which can be found at any duty-free liquor store at airports.

8

Salmonberry

Rubus spectabilis

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Salmonberrys are native to the west coast of North America, stretching from midway through Alaska, all the way down to California. They are found in moist forests and create dense thickets. The fruit looks similar to raspberries, but are more orange in color. They are sweet when eaten raw, but are often processed into juice, wine, candies and jams.

7

Salak

Salacca zalacca

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Salak fruit, also known as the snake fruit, comes from a species of palm native to Indonesia. These fruit grow at the base of the palm, and gained the name snake fruit from their red brown, scaly skin. The skin is easily removed, and inside are 3 white, sweet segments that each contain a large black inedible seed. When eaten, the fruit have a slightly acidic but sweet flavor, and the consistency of apples.

6

Bael

Aegle marmelos

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Bael, wood apple or stone apple is a species native to India, but found throughout Southeast Asia. Bael is a smooth fruit with a woody peel that is colored yellow, green or grey. The hard, woody, outer peel is so hard that it has to be cracked with a hammer. Inside is an aromatic yellow pulp with several hairy seeds. The flesh can be eaten either dried or fresh. From the fresh fruit, a juice called sharbat can be made, adding water, sugar and lime juice to the pulp. It takes just one large fruit to make 6 liters of sharbat.

5

Star Apple

Chrysophyllum cainito

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

The Star apple is a fruit native to the low-lying areas of Central America and the West Indies. The underside of the evergreen leaves shine with a golden color from a distance, and the tree carries small white to purple flowers with a sweet fragrance. The fruit is round, purple and has a thick, latex filled skin. If the fruit is cut horizontally, a clear star pattern can be seen in the white purple pulp. The fruit is delicious fresh, with a intense sweet taste.

4

Star fruit

Averrhoa carambola

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Star fruit or carambola is a fruit tree native to the Philippines, but can be found throughout Southeast Asia, East Asia, South America, Florida and Hawaii. This fruit has five ridges running down its length, which when cut sideways, makes the star pattern after which it is named. The fruit is rich in Vitamin C, and Antioxidants. The fruit turns a bright yellow when ripe, has a waxy skin and the entire fruit is edible, juicy and crunchy.

3

Horned melon

Cucumis metuliferus

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

The horned melon, also known as African cucumber or jelly melon, is an annual vine native to Africa, but can now be found grown in California, Australia, New Zealand and Chile as well. When ripe, the melon has a thick spiky yellow outer skin, with bright green, jelly like flesh. The flesh is often compared to the taste of a banana, with the texture of the seedy part of a cucumber or tomato. The thick skin can be eaten and is a good source of vitamin C and fibre.

2

Pitaya

Hylocereus

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Pitaya, or dragon fruit, is a cactus fruit that can be found throughout Asia, Australasia, North America and South America, even though they are believed to be native to Mexico originally. There are two main types of pitaya, the sour types, typically eaten in the Americas, and sweet types found across Asia. The fruit comes in 3 different color varieties, Labelled as red, yellow and Costa Rican pitayas. The “red” fruits are generally a bright magenta color on the outside, with yellow flesh. The Yellow Pitaya is yellow inside and out, and the Costa Rican pitayas are magenta on the outside and the inside. They smell deliciously fragrant and most have a sweet flavor similar to a kiwi fruit.

1

Miracle Fruit

Synsepalum dulcificum

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

The miracle fruit, or sweet berries, is a very strange berry native to West Africa. What makes the fruit strange and miraculous, is miraculin (a sugar substitute), which is found in large quantities in the fruit, combined with a glycoprotein. The fruit itself does not contain a lot of sugar, and tastes only mildly sweet but when eaten, the glycoprotein binds to the tongues taste buds, which, for about an hour after eating the fruit, distorts any other taste into sweetness. With that effect you could technically eat a lemon, and it would taste like a ball of syrup. Although the definite reason for this occurrence is not fully understood, it would seem as if the miraculin distorts the shape of the sweetness receptors in the tongue so that they pick up on acid instead of sweetness. The sweetness receptors on your tongue then transmit to the brain to taste sweetness when they come in contact with any acidity. In the 70s attempts were made to commercialize and sell the fruit as a diet aid, as it has the potential to turn any meal sweet, without affecting your calorie intake. These attempts were shattered when the FDA declared it a food additive, due to pressure from sugar companies who could foresee big losses in profits. In the last two years the berries have been making a comeback, by being the guest star of many tasting parties in the states. The berries are dried and exported, and the party guests each have one and then taste all kinds of common foods to experience a new taste sensation with every bite.






--
Manudev K Madhavan
Junior Research Fellow
Systematic & Floristic Lab,
Department of Botany, 
Centre for Postgraduate Studies & Research 
St. Joseph's College, Devagiri
Kozhikode- 673 008
Mob: 9496470738

Pinki

unread,
Jul 25, 2011, 2:39:29 AM7/25/11
to efloraofindia
Fantastic mail Madhvan ji. can you guide me as to how many of these
fruits are available in India....of course not as imported stuff....

Alok


On Jul 24, 10:55 pm, manudev madhavan <manudevkmadha...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Got this forwarded mail from my friend....
>
>   *Top 20 Fruits You Probably Don’t Know*
>
> 192
> I was playing a game the other day, in which you have to come up with fruit
> that starts with every letter of the alphabet. Apple, banana, cherry…. and
> that is about where I hit a blank. My epic failure at this game made me do
> some research and what I discovered was a whole world of delicious looking
> fruit that I had never even known about! I was completely shocked to find
> that there are actually hundreds of different types of fruit (no need to
> include them all as omissions in the comments), most of which I had never
> even heard of. This list is not to rank the fruit, but rather just to inform
> you about them. The only fruit on this list I consider ranked is No: 1, as
> it deserves the spot, in clearly being the coolest fruit on the planet. How
> many of these exotically delicious fruit have you tried?
>
> *20*
>
> Sugar Apple
>
> *Annona squamosa*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Sugar Apples or Sweetsop, is native to the tropical Americas, but is also
> widely grown in Pakistan, India and the Philippines. The fruit looks a bit
> like a pine cone, and are about 10 cm in diameter. Under the hard, lumpy
> skin is the fragrant, whitish flesh of the fruit, which covers several seeds
> inside, and has a slight taste of custard.
>
> *19*
>
> Mammee Apple
>
> *Mammea americana*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Mammee Apple, Mamey Apple or Santo Domingo Apricot is an evergreen tree,
> native to South America, which was introduced to various other regions of
> the world including West Africa and South East Asia. They can also be found
> in Florida and Hawaii. The Mammee apple is actually a berry and gets up to
> 20 cm in diameter. It has a thick outer rind, with soft orange to yellow
> pulp on the inside. It usually had one seed in the centre, but larger fruit
> have been known to carry up to 4. The pulp is sweet and fragrant.
>
> *18*
>
> Cherymoya
>
> *Annona cherimola*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Cherymoya, or custard apple, is a deciduous plant found in the high lying
> mountainous areas of South America. The fruit is vaguely round and is found
> with 3 types of skin – Impressa (indented), Tuberculate (covered in nodules)
> or intermediate (a combination of the first two). The flesh inside the skin
> is very fragrant, white, juicy and has a custard like consistency. It is
> said that the fruit tastes like a combination of banana, passion fruit,
> papaya and pineapple. Mark Twain said in 1866 “ the most delicious fruit
> known to men, cherimoya”
>
> *17*
>
> Platonia
>
> *Platonia insignis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Platonia or Bacuri is a large tree (reaching 40m) found in the rain forests
> of Brazil and Paraguay. The fruit become the size of a orange, and have a
> thick yellow peel which oozes a yellow latex when pressed. Inside there is a
> sticky white pulp, wrapped around several black seeds, which tastes pleasant
> and has a sweet and sour flavor.
>
> *16*
>
> Cocona
>
> *Solanum sessiliflorum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Cocona fruit is another tropical fruit found in the mountainous regions of
> South America. It grows on a small shrub, and can miraculously grow from
> seed to fruit in less than 9 months, after which the fruit will take another
> 2 months to ripen. The fruit is a berry and comes in red, orange or yellow.
> It has a similar appearance to tomatoes, and is said to taste like a mixture
> between tomatoes and lemons.
>
> *15*
>
> Breadfruit
>
> *Artocarpus altilis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Breadfruit is a large tree, in the mulberry family, found native to the
> Philippines and all the islands in Southeast Asia. The fruit is similar to
> bananas, as they can be eaten raw when ripe, and cooked when unripe. The
> ripe fruit is soft and sweet, while the unripe fruit is harder and starchy,
> which is where it got the name breadfruit from, as it tastes similar to
> freshly baked bread when cooked.
>
> *14*
>
> Duku
>
> *Lansium domesticum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Duku or lungsat are two very similar fruits found throughout Asia. They come
> from the same family, look and taste identical, with one difference. The
> skin of the lungsat contains a latex substance, which is not poisonous, but
> causes the skin to stick slightly to the fruit, whereas the duku has no
> latex and the peel is removed with more ease. Inside, the fruit has 5
> segments, some of which has bitter seeds inside. It is a very sweet fruit
> and can be prepared in a number of different ways, including being canned in
> syrup or being dried like raisins.
>
> *13*
>
> Safou
>
> *Dacryodes edulis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Safou is an evergreen tree found in the humid tropical forests of Africa, as
> far south as Angola, and as far north as Nigeria. The fruits are also known
> as African pears and are oblong dark blue to violet fruits up to 14cm in
> length, with pale green flesh inside. These fatty fruits have been said to
> have the ability to put an end to starvation in Africa, as 48% of the fruit
> is made up of essential fatty acids, amino acids, Vitamins and
> triglycerides. The have estimated that a one hectare plantation would be
> able to produce 7-8 tons of oil, and all parts of the plant can be used.
>
> *12*
>
> Jabuticaba
>
> *Myrciaria cauliflora*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Jabuticaba, or the Brazilian grape tree, is a very strange plant native to
> the South Eastern parts of Brazil. What makes this plant so strange is that
> it fruits from its trunk. No, I did not make that up, and no the picture has
> not been photo shopped. Initially, yellowish white flowers will appear all
> over the trunk and main branches, these flowers will then turn into fruit,
> about 3 – 4cm in diameter. Inside the thick purple skin is the soft
> gelatinous flesh of the fruit, along with 1 – 4 black seeds. The fruit is
> sweet and can be eaten as is or made into a wine or liqueur. Unfortunately,
> the fruit does not keep long when off the tree and will start to ferment
> after about 3 or 4 days.
>
> *11*
>
> Rambutan
>
> *Nephelium lappaceum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Rambutan is an odd fruit that looks like a furry strawberry from the
> outside, and much like a lychee on the inside. It is native to South East
> Asia, but has been spread and a smaller “wild” version can be found in Costa
> Rica, where it is called a Chinese sucker. The fruit is an oval shape and
> about 3-6 cm in diameter. Inside the slightly hard, but easily peal able
> skin, you can find a soft fruit that tastes slightly sweet, with a possible
> sour tinge.
>
> *10*Noni
>
> *Morinda citrifolia*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Noni, otherwise known by many different names around the world, including
> the great moringa, Indian mulberry, dog dumpling and pace, is related to the
> coffee bean plant and is native throughout South East Asia and Australasia,
> but is cultivated throughout the tropics. The tree carries fruit throughout
> the year and the fruit tend to have a very pungent odour when ripening (also
> known as the cheese fruit or vomit fruit). Despite the smell, the fruit is
> high in fibre, vitamin A, protein, Iron and calcium, and is the staple diet
> on many Pacific Islands. The fruit can either be cooked into a stew or eaten
> raw with salt.
>
> *9*
>
> Marula
>
> *Sclerocarya birrea*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The Marula is a deciduous tree native to Southern and Eastern Africa. The
> distribution of the tree throughout Africa, follow the migratory patterns of
> the Bantu people, as it was an important source of food, and they planted
> more trees along their way. The green fruit ripens and turns yellow, the
> white flesh inside is succulent and has a very distinct flavor. After
> falling off the tree, the fruit will start to ferment and these draw in
> animals, like elephants and baboons, for a slightly alcoholic treat. The
> fruit is also used to make a popular liqueur called Amarula, which can be
> found at any duty-free liquor store at airports.
>
> *8*
>
> Salmonberry
>
> *Rubus spectabilis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Salmonberrys are native to the west coast of North America, stretching from
> midway through Alaska, all the way down to California. They are found in
> moist forests and create dense thickets. The fruit looks similar to
> raspberries, but are more orange in color. They are sweet when eaten raw,
> but are often processed into juice, wine, candies and jams.
>
> *7*
>
> Salak
>
> *Salacca zalacca*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Salak fruit, also known as the snake fruit, comes from a species of palm
> native to Indonesia. These fruit grow at the base of the palm, and gained
> the name snake fruit from their red brown, scaly skin. The skin is easily
> removed, and inside are 3 white, sweet segments that each contain a large
> black inedible seed. When eaten, the fruit have a slightly acidic but sweet
> flavor, and the consistency of apples.
>
> *6*
>
> Bael
>
> *Aegle marmelos*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Bael, wood apple or stone apple is a species native to India, but found
> throughout Southeast Asia. Bael is a smooth fruit with a woody peel that is
> colored yellow, green or grey. The hard, woody, outer peel is so hard that
> it has to be cracked with a hammer. Inside is an aromatic yellow pulp with
> several hairy seeds. The flesh can be eaten either dried or fresh. From the
> fresh fruit, a juice called sharbat can be made, adding water, sugar and
> lime juice to the pulp. It takes just one large fruit to make 6 liters of
> sharbat.
>
> *5*
>
> Star Apple
>
> *Chrysophyllum cainito*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The Star apple is a fruit native to the low-lying areas of Central America
> and the West Indies. The underside of the evergreen leaves shine with a
> golden color from a distance, and the tree carries small white to purple
> flowers with a sweet fragrance. The fruit is round, purple and has a thick,
> latex filled skin. If the fruit is cut horizontally, a clear star pattern
> can be seen in the white purple pulp. The fruit is delicious fresh, with a
> intense sweet taste.
>
> *4*
>
> Star fruit
>
> *Averrhoa carambola*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Star fruit or carambola is a fruit tree native to the Philippines, but can
> be found throughout Southeast Asia, East Asia, South America, Florida and
> Hawaii. This fruit has five ridges running down its length, which when cut
> sideways, makes the star pattern after which it is named. The fruit is rich
> in Vitamin C, and Antioxidants. The fruit turns a bright yellow when ripe,
> has a waxy skin and the entire fruit is edible, juicy and crunchy.
>
> *3*
>
> Horned melon
>
> *Cucumis metuliferus*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The horned melon, also known as African cucumber or jelly melon, is an
> annual vine native to Africa, but can now be found grown in California,
> Australia, New Zealand and Chile as well. When ripe, the melon has a thick
> spiky yellow outer skin, with bright green, jelly like flesh. The flesh is
> often compared to the taste of a banana, with the texture of the seedy part
> of a cucumber or tomato. The thick skin can be eaten and is a good source of
> vitamin C and fibre.
>
> *2*
>
> Pitaya
>
> *Hylocereus*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Pitaya, or dragon fruit, is a cactus fruit that can be found throughout
> Asia, Australasia, North America and South America, even though they are
> believed to be native to Mexico originally. There are two main types of
> pitaya, the sour types, typically eaten in the Americas, and sweet types
> found across Asia. The fruit comes in 3 different color varieties, Labelled
> as red, yellow and Costa Rican pitayas. The “red” fruits are generally a
> bright magenta color on the outside, with yellow flesh. The Yellow Pitaya is
> yellow inside and out, and the Costa Rican pitayas are magenta on the
> outside and the inside. They smell deliciously fragrant and most have a
> sweet flavor similar to a kiwi fruit.
>
> *1*
>
> Miracle Fruit
>
> *Synsepalum dulcificum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The miracle fruit, or sweet berries, is a very strange berry native to West
> Africa. What makes the fruit strange and miraculous, is miraculin (a sugar
> substitute), which is found in large quantities in the fruit, combined with
> a glycoprotein. The fruit itself does not contain a lot of sugar, and tastes
> only mildly sweet but when eaten, the glycoprotein binds to the tongues
> taste buds, which, for about an hour after eating the fruit, distorts any
> other taste into sweetness. With that effect you could technically eat a
> lemon, and it would taste like a ball of syrup. Although the definite reason
> for this occurrence is not fully understood, it would seem as if the
> miraculin distorts the shape of the sweetness receptors in the tongue so
> that they pick up on acid instead of sweetness. The sweetness receptors on
> your tongue then transmit to the brain to taste sweetness when they come in
> contact with any acidity. In the 70s attempts were made to commercialize and
> sell the fruit as a diet aid, as it has the potential to turn any meal
> sweet, without affecting your calorie intake. These attempts were shattered
> when the FDA declared it a food additive, due to pressure from sugar
> companies who could foresee big losses in profits. In the last two years the
> berries have been making a comeback, by being the guest star of many tasting
> parties in the states. The berries are dried and exported, and the party
> guests each have one and then taste all kinds of common foods to experience
> a new taste sensation with every bite.
>
> --
> *Manudev K Madhavan*

manudev madhavan

unread,
Jul 25, 2011, 3:04:37 AM7/25/11
to Pinki, efloraofindia
Alok ji , 

For me, I have seen the following species in India. not sure about other species..

Annona squamosa

Artocarpus altilis

Nephelium lappaceum

Morinda citrifolia

Rubus spectabilis

Aegle marmelos

Chrysophyllum cainito

Averrhoa carambola


Bread fruit and Bael (we call it as Koovalam in Kerala) is quiet common here in Kerala. Anyway, I didn't knew that the fruits of Aegle marmelos can be eaten..!!! 


regards
--
Manudev K Madhavan

mani nair

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Jul 25, 2011, 4:30:59 AM7/25/11
to manudev madhavan, Pinki, efloraofindia
Thanks Manudev ji for the useful information on the top 20 fruits. I have the 4th one - Star fruit or Carambola growing in a small pot and now it has flowered for the 2nd time.  A sharbat is made from Bael fruit which is good for stomach problem.

Regards,

Mani Nair.

promila chaturvedi

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Jul 25, 2011, 9:14:44 AM7/25/11
to manudev madhavan, indiantreepix
MR. Madhawan,
thanks for the information about thses fruits. atleast I have eaten five-six type of fruits from this list. Being a fruit lover, my mouth started watering.
Promila

Balkar Arya

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Jul 25, 2011, 11:35:41 AM7/25/11
to promila chaturvedi, manudev madhavan, indiantreepix
Thanks Manudev Ji for nice shots and Info
--
Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

harithasandhya

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Jul 26, 2011, 1:28:12 AM7/26/11
to efloraofindia
Thank you for sharing these wonderful fruits.
I am familiar with a few of them.

Annona squamosa is a favorite fruit of mine. I have it in my garden
and it fruits regularly.
We use breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis ), unripe ones to make curries.
We can make delicious chips with it. But I haven't eaten the ripe
ones.
Am familiar with Morinda citrifolia but never knew the fruits are
edible.
We get plenty of Rambuttan fruits in Trivandrum during this season.
The trees grow well here and bear fruits profusely.
Aegle marmelos is quite common here but am not familiar with the
sharbat.
Averrhoa carambola is also common in the gardens here. It is a
beautiful tree and has very pretty flowers.

Regards,
Sandhya

On Jul 25, 10:55 am, manudev madhavan <manudevkmadha...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Got this forwarded mail from my friend....
>
>   *Top 20 Fruits You Probably Don’t Know*
>
> 192
> I was playing a game the other day, in which you have to come up with fruit
> that starts with every letter of the alphabet. Apple, banana, cherry…. and
> that is about where I hit a blank. My epic failure at this game made me do
> some research and what I discovered was a whole world of delicious looking
> fruit that I had never even known about! I was completely shocked to find
> that there are actually hundreds of different types of fruit (no need to
> include them all as omissions in the comments), most of which I had never
> even heard of. This list is not to rank the fruit, but rather just to inform
> you about them. The only fruit on this list I consider ranked is No: 1, as
> it deserves the spot, in clearly being the coolest fruit on the planet. How
> many of these exotically delicious fruit have you tried?
>
> *20*
>
> Sugar Apple
>
> *Annona squamosa*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Sugar Apples or Sweetsop, is native to the tropical Americas, but is also
> widely grown in Pakistan, India and the Philippines. The fruit looks a bit
> like a pine cone, and are about 10 cm in diameter. Under the hard, lumpy
> skin is the fragrant, whitish flesh of the fruit, which covers several seeds
> inside, and has a slight taste of custard.
>
> *19*
>
> Mammee Apple
>
> *Mammea americana*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Mammee Apple, Mamey Apple or Santo Domingo Apricot is an evergreen tree,
> native to South America, which was introduced to various other regions of
> the world including West Africa and South East Asia. They can also be found
> in Florida and Hawaii. The Mammee apple is actually a berry and gets up to
> 20 cm in diameter. It has a thick outer rind, with soft orange to yellow
> pulp on the inside. It usually had one seed in the centre, but larger fruit
> have been known to carry up to 4. The pulp is sweet and fragrant.
>
> *18*
>
> Cherymoya
>
> *Annona cherimola*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Cherymoya, or custard apple, is a deciduous plant found in the high lying
> mountainous areas of South America. The fruit is vaguely round and is found
> with 3 types of skin – Impressa (indented), Tuberculate (covered in nodules)
> or intermediate (a combination of the first two). The flesh inside the skin
> is very fragrant, white, juicy and has a custard like consistency. It is
> said that the fruit tastes like a combination of banana, passion fruit,
> papaya and pineapple. Mark Twain said in 1866 “ the most delicious fruit
> known to men, cherimoya”
>
> *17*
>
> Platonia
>
> *Platonia insignis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Platonia or Bacuri is a large tree (reaching 40m) found in the rain forests
> of Brazil and Paraguay. The fruit become the size of a orange, and have a
> thick yellow peel which oozes a yellow latex when pressed. Inside there is a
> sticky white pulp, wrapped around several black seeds, which tastes pleasant
> and has a sweet and sour flavor.
>
> *16*
>
> Cocona
>
> *Solanum sessiliflorum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Cocona fruit is another tropical fruit found in the mountainous regions of
> South America. It grows on a small shrub, and can miraculously grow from
> seed to fruit in less than 9 months, after which the fruit will take another
> 2 months to ripen. The fruit is a berry and comes in red, orange or yellow.
> It has a similar appearance to tomatoes, and is said to taste like a mixture
> between tomatoes and lemons.
>
> *15*
>
> Breadfruit
>
> *Artocarpus altilis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Breadfruit is a large tree, in the mulberry family, found native to the
> Philippines and all the islands in Southeast Asia. The fruit is similar to
> bananas, as they can be eaten raw when ripe, and cooked when unripe. The
> ripe fruit is soft and sweet, while the unripe fruit is harder and starchy,
> which is where it got the name breadfruit from, as it tastes similar to
> freshly baked bread when cooked.
>
> *14*
>
> Duku
>
> *Lansium domesticum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Duku or lungsat are two very similar fruits found throughout Asia. They come
> from the same family, look and taste identical, with one difference. The
> skin of the lungsat contains a latex substance, which is not poisonous, but
> causes the skin to stick slightly to the fruit, whereas the duku has no
> latex and the peel is removed with more ease. Inside, the fruit has 5
> segments, some of which has bitter seeds inside. It is a very sweet fruit
> and can be prepared in a number of different ways, including being canned in
> syrup or being dried like raisins.
>
> *13*
>
> Safou
>
> *Dacryodes edulis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Safou is an evergreen tree found in the humid tropical forests of Africa, as
> far south as Angola, and as far north as Nigeria. The fruits are also known
> as African pears and are oblong dark blue to violet fruits up to 14cm in
> length, with pale green flesh inside. These fatty fruits have been said to
> have the ability to put an end to starvation in Africa, as 48% of the fruit
> is made up of essential fatty acids, amino acids, Vitamins and
> triglycerides. The have estimated that a one hectare plantation would be
> able to produce 7-8 tons of oil, and all parts of the plant can be used.
>
> *12*
>
> Jabuticaba
>
> *Myrciaria cauliflora*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Jabuticaba, or the Brazilian grape tree, is a very strange plant native to
> the South Eastern parts of Brazil. What makes this plant so strange is that
> it fruits from its trunk. No, I did not make that up, and no the picture has
> not been photo shopped. Initially, yellowish white flowers will appear all
> over the trunk and main branches, these flowers will then turn into fruit,
> about 3 – 4cm in diameter. Inside the thick purple skin is the soft
> gelatinous flesh of the fruit, along with 1 – 4 black seeds. The fruit is
> sweet and can be eaten as is or made into a wine or liqueur. Unfortunately,
> the fruit does not keep long when off the tree and will start to ferment
> after about 3 or 4 days.
>
> *11*
>
> Rambutan
>
> *Nephelium lappaceum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Rambutan is an odd fruit that looks like a furry strawberry from the
> outside, and much like a lychee on the inside. It is native to South East
> Asia, but has been spread and a smaller “wild” version can be found in Costa
> Rica, where it is called a Chinese sucker. The fruit is an oval shape and
> about 3-6 cm in diameter. Inside the slightly hard, but easily peal able
> skin, you can find a soft fruit that tastes slightly sweet, with a possible
> sour tinge.
>
> *10*Noni
>
> *Morinda citrifolia*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Noni, otherwise known by many different names around the world, including
> the great moringa, Indian mulberry, dog dumpling and pace, is related to the
> coffee bean plant and is native throughout South East Asia and Australasia,
> but is cultivated throughout the tropics. The tree carries fruit throughout
> the year and the fruit tend to have a very pungent odour when ripening (also
> known as the cheese fruit or vomit fruit). Despite the smell, the fruit is
> high in fibre, vitamin A, protein, Iron and calcium, and is the staple diet
> on many Pacific Islands. The fruit can either be cooked into a stew or eaten
> raw with salt.
>
> *9*
>
> Marula
>
> *Sclerocarya birrea*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The Marula is a deciduous tree native to Southern and Eastern Africa. The
> distribution of the tree throughout Africa, follow the migratory patterns of
> the Bantu people, as it was an important source of food, and they planted
> more trees along their way. The green fruit ripens and turns yellow, the
> white flesh inside is succulent and has a very distinct flavor. After
> falling off the tree, the fruit will start to ferment and these draw in
> animals, like elephants and baboons, for a slightly alcoholic treat. The
> fruit is also used to make a popular liqueur called Amarula, which can be
> found at any duty-free liquor store at airports.
>
> *8*
>
> Salmonberry
>
> *Rubus spectabilis*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Salmonberrys are native to the west coast of North America, stretching from
> midway through Alaska, all the way down to California. They are found in
> moist forests and create dense thickets. The fruit looks similar to
> raspberries, but are more orange in color. They are sweet when eaten raw,
> but are often processed into juice, wine, candies and jams.
>
> *7*
>
> Salak
>
> *Salacca zalacca*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Salak fruit, also known as the snake fruit, comes from a species of palm
> native to Indonesia. These fruit grow at the base of the palm, and gained
> the name snake fruit from their red brown, scaly skin. The skin is easily
> removed, and inside are 3 white, sweet segments that each contain a large
> black inedible seed. When eaten, the fruit have a slightly acidic but sweet
> flavor, and the consistency of apples.
>
> *6*
>
> Bael
>
> *Aegle marmelos*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Bael, wood apple or stone apple is a species native to India, but found
> throughout Southeast Asia. Bael is a smooth fruit with a woody peel that is
> colored yellow, green or grey. The hard, woody, outer peel is so hard that
> it has to be cracked with a hammer. Inside is an aromatic yellow pulp with
> several hairy seeds. The flesh can be eaten either dried or fresh. From the
> fresh fruit, a juice called sharbat can be made, adding water, sugar and
> lime juice to the pulp. It takes just one large fruit to make 6 liters of
> sharbat.
>
> *5*
>
> Star Apple
>
> *Chrysophyllum cainito*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The Star apple is a fruit native to the low-lying areas of Central America
> and the West Indies. The underside of the evergreen leaves shine with a
> golden color from a distance, and the tree carries small white to purple
> flowers with a sweet fragrance. The fruit is round, purple and has a thick,
> latex filled skin. If the fruit is cut horizontally, a clear star pattern
> can be seen in the white purple pulp. The fruit is delicious fresh, with a
> intense sweet taste.
>
> *4*
>
> Star fruit
>
> *Averrhoa carambola*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Star fruit or carambola is a fruit tree native to the Philippines, but can
> be found throughout Southeast Asia, East Asia, South America, Florida and
> Hawaii. This fruit has five ridges running down its length, which when cut
> sideways, makes the star pattern after which it is named. The fruit is rich
> in Vitamin C, and Antioxidants. The fruit turns a bright yellow when ripe,
> has a waxy skin and the entire fruit is edible, juicy and crunchy.
>
> *3*
>
> Horned melon
>
> *Cucumis metuliferus*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The horned melon, also known as African cucumber or jelly melon, is an
> annual vine native to Africa, but can now be found grown in California,
> Australia, New Zealand and Chile as well. When ripe, the melon has a thick
> spiky yellow outer skin, with bright green, jelly like flesh. The flesh is
> often compared to the taste of a banana, with the texture of the seedy part
> of a cucumber or tomato. The thick skin can be eaten and is a good source of
> vitamin C and fibre.
>
> *2*
>
> Pitaya
>
> *Hylocereus*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> Pitaya, or dragon fruit, is a cactus fruit that can be found throughout
> Asia, Australasia, North America and South America, even though they are
> believed to be native to Mexico originally. There are two main types of
> pitaya, the sour types, typically eaten in the Americas, and sweet types
> found across Asia. The fruit comes in 3 different color varieties, Labelled
> as red, yellow and Costa Rican pitayas. The “red” fruits are generally a
> bright magenta color on the outside, with yellow flesh. The Yellow Pitaya is
> yellow inside and out, and the Costa Rican pitayas are magenta on the
> outside and the inside. They smell deliciously fragrant and most have a
> sweet flavor similar to a kiwi fruit.
>
> *1*
>
> Miracle Fruit
>
> *Synsepalum dulcificum*
>
> [image: Fun & Info @ Keralites.net] <http://keralites.net/>
>
> The miracle fruit, or sweet berries, is a very strange berry native to West
> Africa. What makes the fruit strange and miraculous, is miraculin (a sugar
> substitute), which is found in large quantities in the fruit, combined with
> a glycoprotein. The fruit itself does not contain a lot of sugar, and tastes
> only mildly sweet but when eaten, the glycoprotein binds to the tongues
> taste buds, which, for about an hour after eating the fruit, distorts any
> other taste into sweetness. With that effect you could technically eat a
> lemon, and it would taste like a ball of syrup. Although the definite reason
> for this occurrence is not fully understood, it would seem as if the
> miraculin distorts the shape of the sweetness receptors in the tongue so
> that they pick up on acid instead of sweetness. The sweetness receptors on
> your tongue then transmit to the brain to taste sweetness when they come in
> contact with any acidity. In the 70s attempts were made to commercialize and
> sell the fruit as a diet aid, as it has the potential to turn any meal
> sweet, without affecting your calorie intake. These attempts were shattered
> when the FDA declared it a food additive, due to pressure from sugar
> companies who could foresee big losses in profits. In the last two years the
> berries have been making a comeback, by being the guest star of many tasting
> parties in the states. The berries are dried and exported, and the party
> guests each have one and then taste all kinds of common foods to experience
> a new taste sensation with every bite.
>
> --
> *Manudev K Madhavan*

Madhuri Pejaver

unread,
Jul 26, 2011, 5:48:42 AM7/26/11
to efloraofindia, harithasandhya
As what written by mant Annona squamosa is a delight. In Marathi is called as Sitaphal. In Thane and Mumbai we get delicious Sitaphal icecream! WOOOOO
Great taste. We also get Sitaphal Basundi. these are the favourate sweets in season in many marriages.

Other than curry Bread fruit Pakodas are very tasty. In Karnataka again the breadfruit pakodas is a delicusy to eat with sarum and rice, in marriages. It is called as Nirphanas.

Morinda or Noni fruits ar ehaving good medicinal value. The flowers are very fragrant. Few flowers on the tree makes their presence visible only by distant spreading fragrane. Has come before this on eflora.

Is Rambuttam a Ramphal? could not get it.

Ageal in Marathi Bel. Leaves are offered to lord Shankara. The fruits are edible. Other than Sharbat it makes a tasty jam, Barfi, and Chatani. Good for health. Has again a lot of medicinal value.

Averrhoa is Karmal. As said very tiny pinkish flowers, beautiful to look at. It is sour in taste and is aold ouside the schools by hawkers.
Makes nice pickels.

Thanks for sharing and making me proud tht i have tasted them in all forms
Madhuri Pejaver

--- On Tue, 26/7/11, harithasandhya <haritha...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Anand Kumar Bhatt

unread,
Jul 26, 2011, 6:03:42 AM7/26/11
to manudev madhavan, indiantreepix
I think the southern part of the country grows more number of fruits than the North. 
Manu, you have got complete material for an article, with a few photographs. You can use Wikipedia pictures for use without any charges. You            have only to acknowledge them.
ak

On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:25 AM, manudev madhavan <manudevk...@gmail.com> wrote:



--
Anand Kumar Bhatt
A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road
Gwalior. 474 005.
Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780.
My blogsite is at:
http://anandkbhatt.blogspot.com
(A NEW BLOG has been ADDED ON 12 April 2011.)
And the photo site:
www.flickr.com/photos/akbhatt/
(NEW PHOTOS HAVE BEEN ADDED ON 15 March 2011.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten most  common surnames of Indians: Singh, Kumar, Sharma, Patel, Shah, Lal, Gupta, Bhat, Rao, Reddy. Cheers!

manudev madhavan

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Jul 26, 2011, 6:14:33 AM7/26/11
to Anand Kumar Bhatt, indiantreepix
Dear all,

Thanks for all the comments..!!
Let me remind you one thing that this thread was a forwarded message from one of my friends.
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