" I was dreaming... I came here, the sky was blue... the beach was white & the wine was chilled."                                                                                                                                             "reach an island where you can just be... "                                                                                                                                           " Ten more dives.. and I will just reach there"                                                                                                                                           " Sun Island is to Maldives what Texas is to the United States" Adrian Neviille

Jamaica Cherry (Jeymu)

The Jamaica cherry, Muntingia calabura L., is a member of the family Elaeocarpaceae. This is a very fast-growing tree of slender proportions, reaching 25 to 40 ft in height, with spreading, nearly horizontal branches. The leaves are evergreen, covered with tiny sticky hairs on the surface and gray-or brown-hairy on the underside. The flowers, borne singly or in 2's or 3's in the leaf axils, are 1/2 to 3/4 in wide with 5 green sepals and 5 white petals and many prominent yellow stamens. They last only one day, the petals falling in the afternoon. The abundant fruits are round, 3/8 to 1/2 in wide, with red or sometimes yellow, smooth, thin, tender skin and light-brown, soft, juicy pulp, with very sweet, musky, somewhat fig-like flavor, filled with exceedingly minute, yellowish seeds, too fine to be noticed in eating. The Cherry Tree is named for its sweet sticky fruits, juicy and full of tiny seeds. They are a favorite food with birds and bats and it provides shelter for small creatures. Birds and bats also disperse its seeds! The fruits are eaten in Maldives. In Mexico they are even sold in markets. Fruits are also made into jams and used in tarts. The leaf is made into a tea. In Brazil, they are planted on river banks so their fallen fruit attracts fish which are then caught.





Related Links:
> Exploring The Magical Island
> Fauna of Sun Island
< Exotic Flora of Sun Island
- Annona glabra ( Kalhuhuthu Meyvaa)
- Banana (Faiykeyo gas)
- Bilimbi (Bilamagu)
- Bougainvillea (Dhaahiliyyaamaa)
- Breadfruit (Bambukeyo)
- Cape Gooseberry (Muraaki)
- Coconut (Dhivehi Ruh)
- Curry Leaves (Hikandhi Faiy)
- Custard Apple (Dhivehi Atha)
- Flamboyant Tree (Reethigas)
- Frangipani (Gulchampa)
- Ginger Thomas (Bokarumaa)
- Guava (Feyru)
- Guettarda speciosa (Uni)
- Helianthus debilis ( Lanka Mirihi)
- Henna (Heena Fai)
- Hibiscus (Saima)
- Jamaica cherry (Jeymu)
- Jamaican Mountain Sage (Lantana Camara)
- Jasmine ( Huvandhu Maa)
- Lemon Grass
- Lime (Lumbo)
- Madagascan Periwinkle (Malikuruvaa)
- Mango (Anbu)
- Noni Fruit (Ahivah)
- Papaya (Falho)
- Passion Fruit (Jumhooreemevaa)
- Poinciana pulcherrima L. (Fathanguma)
- Queen of the night ( Husnuheena )
- Rampe
- Sapodilla (Sabudheli)
- Scaevola sericea ( Magoo)
- Scewpine (Maa/Boa Kashikeyo)
- Sea Hibiscus (Dhigga)
- Tamarind (Helenbeli)
- Taro (Olhu Ala)

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