Pequi fruit

Hello again,

Today I'm traveling to South America seeking out a particularly intriguing fruit. The pequi tree grows in the Cerrado region of Brazil. The Cerrado is a vast tropical savanna and comprises about 20% of the country. It is also one of the most threatened ecosystems in Brazil, which is frightening because of the enormous amount of plant and animal biodiversity. More than 1600 species of mammals, reptiles, and birds have been documented there. Sadly, less than 3% of the Cerrado is protected by law. There is surprisingly a great amount of variation in the flora and vegetation found there for having naturally nutrient poor soil.

Despite the decrease in habitat, the demand for pequi fruit has significantly risen in recent decades. The pequi tree grows to about 10 meters tall so it is a relatively small plant, with rugged, grayish colored bark. It has large, tough leaves, big white flowers that look similar to St. John’s Wort flower, and a greenish fruit that slightly resembles an avocado on the outside. Inside you can find an orange-ish colored pulp that surrounds a large seed. Many thorns surround the seed making the fruit slightly dangerous to eat if you’re not careful.



As far as medical use, remedies made from the pequi fruit are thought to alleviate the degenerative action of drugs that treat cancer. People began researching the medicinal potential of pequi after discovering that it was extremely rich in vitamins A, C and E.
The pequi tree is deeply rooted in the region’s culture. Countless indigenous tribes from the Xingu River region have taken advantage of the pequi tree and believe that it belongs to everyone, that no one should have exclusive rights to it. Not only is it eaten in traditional dishes and also mixed with liquor, but it also has several other uses. The leaves of the plant are full of tannins, which creates a dye used in weaving. When the pit of the fruit is processed, it is thought to be an aphrodesiac and also a remedy to treat asthma, bronchitis and colds. The pequi creates such a variety of products that it has been deemed “the new gold of the Cerrado”. Since essentially every part of the pequi plant can be used, rural Brazilian people plant these slowly germinating trees around their villages.

Deforestation interferes with the natural production of this fruit, so action needs to be taken in order to preserve this integral part of the people of the Cerrado’s sense of place and identity.

Over and out,
Herb

[Katie Nelson]

Images:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cerrado_ecoregion.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frutopequi.JPG
http://pibmirim.socioambiental.org/en/how-they-live/food