Capparis frondosa Jacq.

Rare evergreen treelet (5-10 m) found in the humid understory of primary tropical forest. This tree has an unusual growth form that aids in its identification, as do the unique, pendulous green fruits it bears.

Description: Capparis frondosa is a small tree with a straight and cylindrical trunk averaging no more than 15 cm in diameter. Its bark is smooth and dark green or brown in color with white point lenticels. Capparis branches are long and spindly, largely bare, and few in number. Emerging from the trunk at an acute angle, they grow upwards and produce a very thin, diffuse crown. Leaves are found in compact whorls, clustered around branch tips. Simple and alternate, they are extremely variable in size. In general, leaves are smooth, thick, and large - averaging 33 cm long by 10 cm wide - with an oval, elliptical blade, a short drip-tip, and an extremely long (very characteristic) petiole (10 cm). Nevertheless, mature leaves measuring 7 cm by 3 cm and with short or non-existent petioles also crowd the whorl, helping to fill the gap nearer the twig caused by the long petioles of the larger blades. New foliage is produced in June or July. Flowers appear in terminal racemes, containing about eight, long-stalked blossoms, after the new leaves expand. Each is composed of four short green sepals; four white petals; multiple, long, purple stamens; and a single, long-stalked (3 cm), rod-shaped pistil. Measuring 4 cm in diameter when open, the flowers are dominated by the impressive array of silky stamens. Flowering occurs with greatest frequency in July and August, though blossoms appear sporadically in other months as well. Fruits develop rapidly from the expanding ovary after the flowers die. When mature, these glossy green berries resemble avocados or pears in size (10 cm), shape and coloration. They dangle vertically (also like avocados) at the end of the long stalks that once supported the pistils. The site of the old flower remains evident as a disk-shaped swelling about 6 cm above the fruit. Several large, black seeds are embedded within the fleshy tissue inside each berry. Fruition occurs from November through January - after the full-sized berries have persisted on the trees for about two months.

Similar Species: The long petioles and whorled arrangement of C. frondosa leaves make them distinctive. Pilon (Hyeronima alchorneoides) has similarly shaped and arranged leaves, however it is a much larger (canopy) tree and it has notably rough and reddish bark. Dendropanax arboreus also has a similar leaf arrangement and, although an understory tree, it also tends to be significantly taller than Capparis. Furthermore, Dendropanax bark is greenish white and its leaves release an astringent odor when crushed.

Natural History: Flowers are pollinated by insects. Fruits are eaten by some unknown rain forest animal. In fact, upon maturation, the disappearance of these fruits from the Capparis crown (and surrounding forest floor) is rapid and complete.

Distribution: Capparis frondosa is found in the deep forest, on hilly, well-drained soils. It has also been collected in Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Puerto Rico.

Flower     Leaf/flower