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''Muntingia calabura'', the sole species in the genus ''Muntingia'', is a flowering plant native to southern Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and western South America south to Peru and Bolivia. Common names include (English) calabur tree, capulin, Jamaica cherry, Panama berry, strawberry tree,〔(Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Muntingia calabura'' )〕 Singapore cherry, Sabah cherry, Bajelly tree; (Filipino) ''aratilis'', and ''saresa''; and (Cebuano) ''mansanitas'' and ''sagase'' in Kannada. It is a small tree, 7–12 m tall with tiered and slightly drooping branches. It has serrated leaves 2.5–15 cm long and 1–6.5 cm wide. The flowers are small, white, and slightly malodorous. It gives rise to 1.0- to 1.5-cm light red fruit. The fruit is edible, sweet, and juicy, and contains a large number of tiny (0.5-mm) yellow seeds. It is a pioneer species that thrives in poor soil, able to tolerate acidic and alkaline conditions and drought. Its seeds are dispersed by birds and fruit bats. It is cultivated for its edible fruit, and has become naturalised in some other parts of the tropics, including southeastern Asia. As a pioneer plant, it could help condition the soil and make it habitable to other plants. However, it might also be considered as an invasive species since it might outcompete indigenous plants. ==Uses== In Mexico, the fruits are eaten and sold in markets. The fruits can be processed into jams and the leaves can be used for making tea. In Brazil, the trees are planted along river banks. The fruits falling from the tree attract fish that are then caught. In the Philippines and Indonesia, the fruits are usually eaten mostly by children, although they are not sold in the markets. The skin is slightly tough and often discarded by children. In traditional medicine, its leaves can be used as an antiseptic or antipruritic and to treat abdominal cramps. The timber from what is also known as the Jamaican cherry, is reddish-brown. It is compact, durable, and lightweight and can be used for carpentry. It could also be used as firewood. The bark can be used to produce ropes and fiber for bark skirts. Due to its ability to grow in poor soil and its effective propagation by means of bats and birds, it could be used for reforestation projects. In India, it is used in urban gardens for its ability to grow fast and attractiveness to small fruit-eating birds such as the flowerpeckers. It is also commonly planted in parking lots. Another study claimed that ''aratilis'' leaves possess antinociceptive (reducing sensitivity to pain), anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antipruritic properties, justifying the folkloric medicinal use. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Muntingia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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