Genipa americana
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Genipa americana (Template:IPAc-en) is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
Description
Genipa americana trees are up to 30 m tall and up to 60 cm dbh.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":02">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref> Their bark is smooth with little fissures.<ref name=":3" /> The leaves are opposite, obovate, or obovate oblong, 10–35 cm long, 6–13 cm wide, and glossy dark green, with entire margin, acute or acuminate apex, and attenuated base.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":02" /> The inflorescences are cymes up to 10 cm long.<ref name=":2" /> The flowers are white to yellowish, slightly fragrant, calyx bell-shaped, corolla at 2–4.5 cm long, trumpet-shaped, and five- or six-lobed.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" /> The five short stamens are inserted on top of the corolla tube.<ref name=":0" /> The fruit is a thick-skinned edible greyish berry 10–12 cm long, 5–9 cm in diameter.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" />
Distribution and habitat
Genipa americana is native to the tropical forests of the Americas, from the Caribbean south to Argentina.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> It is present from sea level up to 1200 m of elevation,<ref name=":3" /> although some argue the original native range as being northern South America.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Vernacular names
In English, the tree is known as the genip tree Template:IPAc-en and the fruit as genipap Template:IPAc-en.<ref>Template:OED</ref>
Colombia: jagua, caruto, huito;<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /> Brazil: jenipapo, formerly genipapo;<ref name=":3" /> Costa Rica: guaitil, tapaculo;<ref name=":3" /> Nicaragua: tapaculo, yigualtí;<ref name=":3" /> Mexico: shagua, xagua, maluco;<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> Perú: huito, vito, jagua;<ref name=":5" /> Argentina: ñandipá;<ref name=":5" /> Puerto Rico: jagua; Bolivia: bí<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Its name has been reconstructed as we'e (*weʔe) in Proto-Tucanoan.<ref>Chacon, Thiago (2013). On Proto-Languages and Archaeological Cultures: pre-history and material culture in the Tukanoan Family. In Revista Brasileira de Linguística Antropológica. Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 217–245.</ref>
Chemical compounds
The following compounds have been isolated from G. americana: genipic acid,<ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref> genipinic acid,<ref name=":4" /> genipin<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> (all three from the fruit) and geniposidic acid (leaves).<ref name=":4" />
Uses
The unripe fruit of G. americana yields a liquid used as a deep purple dye for tattoos, skin painting, insect repellent<ref name=":1" /> and food.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
This species is also cultivated for its edible fruits, which are eaten in preserves or made into drinks, jelly, or ice cream.<ref name=":1" />
The wood is reported to be resistant, strong, and easily worked; it is used in the making of utensils and in construction and carpentry.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":3" />