SafePlants

Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense)

The Pequi, also known as Piqui, is a fruit native to the Cerrado region of Brazil.

Considerations for Pets

• The Tupi name "Pequi" translates to "thorny skin," which may refer to the fruit's exterior. While the provided text doesn't give information about the level of danger, it is important to consider the potential risk of ingestion of the thorny skin.
• The fruit contains a pit with a small amount of edible pulp, suggesting the presence of a hard pit that could be a choking hazard.

Considerations for Children

• The Tupi name "Pequi" translates to "thorny skin," which may refer to the fruit's exterior. This suggests a potential for injury from the fruit's surface. While the provided text doesn't give information about the level of danger, it is important to consider the potential risk of ingestion of the thorny skin.
• The fruit contains a pit with a small amount of edible pulp, suggesting the presence of a hard pit that could be a choking hazard.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Caryocar brasiliense Cambess.
• Family: Caryocaraceae
• Synonyms: Piqui
• There is reference to a related species in the text: Caryocar coriaceum.

Distribution and Habitat

• The Pequi tree is native to the Brazilian Cerrado, a savanna-like region.
• It is commonly found from southern Pará to Paraná and northern Paraguay.
• Specifically mentioned locations within Brazil include Goiás, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, and the Xingu region.

Morphological Characteristics

• The Pequi tree can grow up to 10 meters (approximately 30 feet) tall.
• It has a rough, twisted trunk.
• The leaves are large.
• The fruit is a drupe, typically 6 to 14 cm in size, with four locules.

Traditional Uses and Properties

• Various parts of the Pequi tree are used for food.
• The fruit is used extensively in regional cuisine, particularly in the Northeast, Center-West, and northern Minas Gerais regions of Brazil.
• Pequi pulp oil has been found to reduce exercise-induced inflammatory markers and blood pressure in runners.
• The pulp is rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, fatty acids, and phosphorus.
• The yellow color of the fruit's core indicates a high concentration of beta-carotenes, which are antioxidants.
• It is used in folk medicine to treat many types of afflictions.

Quirky Facts

• The Tupi name "Pequi" translates to "thorny skin."
• The Pequi fruit takes 84 days (12 weeks) to develop.

Further Information

• EMATER-MG (Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural do Estado de Minas Gerais) offers resources on Pequi cultivation. Their website is mentioned: http://www.emater.mg.gov.br/site_emater/Serv_Prod/Livraria/.