| Lúcuma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Branchlet with leaves, flowers and fruit ofLucuma bifera: Fruit cut in half shown on top left of image | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Lucuma |
| Species: | L. bifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Lucuma bifera | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Lucuma bifera (synonymPouteria lucuma) is a species oftree in the familySapotaceae, cultivated for its fruit, thelúcuma. It is native to theAndean valleys ofColombia,Ecuador,Peru,Bolivia, and northernChile.[2][3][4]
This evergreen tree is up to 20 m tall, and has greyish-brown, fissured bark, which produces a milky white exudate.[5][6][7] The end of branchlets and the petioles are covered with short, brown hairs.[6][7] The leaves are simple, oblanceolate to elliptical, up to 25 cm long and 10 cm wide, andglabrous (or sometimes slightly hairy on the underside) grouped at the end of the branches.[5][6] Flowers are solitary or infascicles, small,axillary, with hairysepals and acorolla forming a tube 1.0-1.8 cm long, greenish white, with five lobes, five stamens, fivestaminodes, a pubescent ovary, and astyle 0.8-1.5 cm long.[5][6] The fruit isglobose, 6–12 cm long,glabrous, and russet to yellow when mature; the pulp is bright yellow; the one to several seeds are 1.8-3.5 cm long, dark brown, and glossy.[5][6]
Representations of lúcuma have been found on ceramics at burial sites of the indigenous people of coastal Peru.[4] TheMoche people had a fascination with agriculture and often chose to represent fruits and vegetables, including lúcuma, in their art.[8]
The fruit was first seen and reported by Europeans in Ecuador in 1531.[4][9]
The area of origin ofL. bifera is located in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and northern Chile,[2] at temperate elevations of 2,700–3,000 m (8,900–9,800 ft).[4]
In addition to Peru, the fruit is grown also to a limited extent inBolivia,Chile andCosta Rica. Attempts at growing lúcuma in Florida's climate are typically not successful.[4] The fruit is successfully grown inVietnam, where it is known as lêkima.
In Peru, harvesting season is from October to March and in Chile from June to November.[3]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 414.5 kJ (99.1 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.5 % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 1.3 % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.5 % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.5 % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 64.8 - 72.3 % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[10] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation fromthe National Academies.[11] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
When eaten raw, the very sweet fruit is bright yellow and has a mealy and dry texture.[4] In Peru, it is more commonly used as a flavor in juice, milk shakes, and especially ice cream. Its unique flavor in such preparations has been described variously as being similar to sweet potato, maple syrup, or butterscotch. In Peru,manjar de lúcuma (dulce de leche with lúcuma purée) is adessert. Multiple sources describe it as the most popular ice cream flavor in Peru[12] and one of the most popular fresh fruits.
Lúcuma pulp has a 64-72%moisture content.[5] The pulp also containsglucose,fructose,sucrose,inositol,citric acid, andsuccinic acid.[5] However, only limited nutritional information is available for lúcuma powder, indicating moderate content ofprotein andiron, each providing 14% of theDaily Value in a 100-g (3.5 oz) serving, which supplies 420Calories.[13]
