''Chrysobalanus'' is a genus of evergreen perennial shrubs to small trees, described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to sub-tropical and tropical regions of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

, and

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> ''Chrysobalanus'' attains a maximum height of 25 or 30 feet (8–10 m). It is found in coastal areas as a wild plant, and is frequently planted in gardens. It has a low-growing and sprawling habit. It can form dense stands and become invasive. The leaves are obovate or obcordate in outline, about 2in long, thick, glossy, and deep green in color. It has small white flowers, in axillary racemes or cymes, not too showy, but they have a dainty and sweet fragrance. This plant bears a damson-sized edible red pulpy fruit with a black and thin skin, resembles a large plum in appearance, being oval 1.5in long. The sweet fruits with white flesh, which is cottony and of insipid taste, adheres closely to the large oblong seed turn from creamy tones to dark-blue pleasing tasty peaches which can be made into a sweet preserved jam, made by the earliest arrivals to the low-lying Florida peninsula. The fruit is extensively used in the tropics.Ellison, Don (1999) Cultivated Plants of the World. London: New Holland (1st ed.: Brisbane: Flora Publications International, 1995)

Species

Species from Kew Monocot Checklist: *'' Chrysobalanus cuspidatus'' Griseb. ex Duss - Lesser Antilles *''

Chrysobalanus icaco ''Chrysobalanus icaco'', the cocoplum, paradise plum, abajeru or icaco, also called fat pork in Trinidad and Tobago, is a low shrub or bushy tree found near sea beaches and inland throughout tropical Africa, tropical Americas and the Caribbean, ...

'' L. (

coco plum ''Chrysobalanus icaco'', the cocoplum, paradise plum, abajeru or icaco, also called fat pork in Trinidad and Tobago, is a low shrub or bushy tree found near sea beaches and inland throughout tropical Africa, tropical Americas and the Caribbean, ...

) - tropical Africa, Mexico, Central America, West Indies, northern South America, Florida *''

Chrysobalanus venezuelanus ''Chrysobalanus'' is a genus of evergreen perennial shrubs to small trees, described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to sub-tropical and tropical regions of Africa, Latin America, and Florida. ''Chrysobalanus'' attains a maximum hei ...

'' G.T.Prance - SE Venezuela, N Brazil

References

Chrysobalanaceae Chrysobalanaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Malpighiales-stub