Jabuticaba - a special tree.. Jabuticaba - un copac deosebit

Jabuticaba - a special tree

Jabuticaba - un copac deosebit

RO: Jabuticaba, cunoscut si sub denumirea de Pom cu Struguri, este un arbore unic, ce creste in regiunile unor tari sud-americane, precum Brazilia, Paraguay si Argentina.

Spre deosebire de alti pomi, fructele sale pot fi culese si mancate direct de pe trunchi. Pentru a supravietui, Jabuticaba a evoluat prin a-si face mai accesibile roadele pentru acele animale care nu se pot catara. Astfel, ele pot ajunte la fructe, le pot manca si pot diseminta semintele departe de pomul-sursa.

Fructele de Jabuticaba au culoarea rosu inchis spre violet si pot fi consumate fie ca atare, proaspete, folosite in fabricarea gemurilor, sau lasate la fermentat pentru transformarea lor in vin ori intr-un lichior tare. Pielitele uscate de fructe jabuticaba pot fi folosite in tratarea astmului si a diareei, iar cercetatorii spera ca aceste fructe se vor dovedi folositoare in lupta anti-cancer, datorita unor compusi de aceasta natura identificati in structura lor genetica.

EN: Jabuticaba, also known as the Grape Tree, is a unique tree found around South-American countries like Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. 

Unlike other trees, its fruit can be plucked and eaten right off the trunk. In order to survive, Jabuticaba has evolved in order to make its fruit more accessible to animals who can’t climb. This way they can reach the fruit, eat it and expel the seeds far away from the parent tree.

Jabuticaba fruits are purple, juicy, and can be either eaten fresh, used in jellies, or left to ferment and made into wine and strong liquor. Dried Jabuticaba fruit peels can be used to treat asthma and diarrhea, and scientists hope it will prove useful in the fight against cancer, as several anti-cancer compounds have been identified in the fruit.

Surse/ sources: http://www.descopera.ro, http://www.odditycentral.com & http://commons.wikimedia.org