Batoko Plum, Rukam Masam, Thornless Rukam

---

Description

Small to medium-sized evergreen tree to 15 m tall. Leaves 5-20 cm long with serrated margin, elliptic-oval, young foliage orange-re. Flowers 3-5 mm across, greenish yellow without petals, clustered along twigs. Fruits 2-2.5 cm across, globose, shiny, ripening red to reddish purple.

---

Ecology

Lowland forest.

---

Distribution

Native in the Philippines but has naturalised in tropical Asia and Africa.

---

Uses

Fruits are edible, crunchy but sour and acidic in taste. Often not eaten raw but made as jams, preserves and syrups.