ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the information on uses, folk medicine, chemistry, germplasm, distribution, ecol-ogy, cultivation, harvesting, yields, energy, and biotic factors of Caryocar Amygdaliferum Mutis. Fruits edible, said to taste like almonds. Pulp of fruit is also used as a fish poison. According to the NAS, Caryocar kernels are said to be the best edible nuts in the tropics. Fruits are used as a medicine for leprosy. Wood, possibly of this species, possibly of C. brasiliense, contains 1.5 to 1.8% essential oil. Trees to 55.0 m tall, the trunk buttressed up to 3.0 m, the young branches sparsely puberulous-glabrescent. From the South American Center of Diversity, achotillo has been reported to tolerate acid soils. Regrettably, this has been confused in the literature, due to orthographic similarities, with Peruvian C. amygdaliforme Don. Fruits collected in season for food and medicinal purposes by natives.
