| Platonia | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Clusiaceae |
| Tribe: | Symphonieae |
| Genus: | Platonia Mart. |
| Species: | P. insignis |
| Binomial name | |
| Platonia insignis | |
| Synonyms | |
Aristoclesia esculenta Stuntz | |
Platonia insignis, the solespecies of thegenusPlatonia, is a tree of thefamilyClusiaceae native toSouth America in the humid forests ofBrazil,Paraguay, parts ofColombia and northeast toGuyana; especially inAmazon rainforest. Common names includebacuri (and numerous variant spellings thereof; bacurí, bacury, bakuri, pacuri, pakuri, pakouri, packoeri, pakoeri),maniballi,naranjillo andbacurizeiro.
There was a degree of nomenclatural confusion, caused byMoronobea esculenta. If that were validly published for this species the current name would bePlatonia esculenta. It was established thatMoronobea esculenta is not a formal name (not "validly published"), so the name remainsPlatonia insignis.[1][2]
Platonia is related toMontrouziera[3] fromNew Caledonia.
Platonia insignis is a dry-seasondeciduous tree, reaching 25–40 m high. It has a pyramidal crown and copious yellowlatex in the bark. The leaves are opposite, simple oblong to elliptic, 8–15 cm long, and glossy dark green, with wavy margins and a leathery texture.
The flowers are 5–7 cm long and pink in color, with five petals and numerous stamens. The fruit is round to oval and 7–14 cm long, with a thick, yellow skin. It resembles apapaya. The rind exudes a yellow latex when pressed.[4] The sticky white pulp is fragrant, with a taste that is both sweet and sour. There are 3 to 5 seeds.
Thewhite-bellied parrot (Pionites leucogaster) is apollinator of the plant, making itornithophilous.[5]
The bacuri is grown for its fruit, which is made into variouscondiments and beverages. It contains high levels of phosphorus, iron, and vitamin C. The oily brown seeds are used as ahome remedy to treat skin conditions. Its yellowish wood is frequently used as timber.
The grease of the bacuri oil has a high absorption rate, due to its high level oftripalmitin (50% to 55%), which penetrates the skin quickly. The high amount of fattypalmitoleic acid (5%), compared to other oils (less than or equal to 0.5 to 1.5%), makes the bacuri oil useful as an emollient and moisturizing agent.[6][full citation needed]
Physico-chemical data
| Index | Unit | Reference value |
|---|---|---|
| Iodine Index | gl2/100g | 57 |
| saponification index | mgKOH/g | 211 |
| acidity | mgKOH/g | 10,71 |
| Index peroxide | meq/Kg | 5 |
| Fusion point | °C | 35 |
Platonia is a natural source oftrioxygenated xanthones.[8] The latex containsresinotol.[9]
