Myrciaria tenella facts for kids

Myrciaria tenella is a type of plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which also includes plants like eucalyptus and guava. It is often called camboim in Portuguese. Other names for it are jabuticaba-macia and cambuí-açu. Sometimes, the name camboim is also used for other similar plants, like Myrciaria cuspidata and Myrciaria delicatula.

Where It Grows

Myrciaria tenella is a plant that grows naturally in specific parts of the world. It is found only in certain countries in South America and the Caribbean. These countries include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. It also grows in the Caribbean islands of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

What It Looks Like

This plant is usually a shrub (a small bush) or a small tree. It can grow to be between 1 and 6 meters (about 3 to 20 feet) tall. It is considered "semi-deciduous," which means it loses some of its leaves during certain times of the year, but not all of them.

The fruit of Myrciaria tenella is round and can be red or orange. It is safe to eat and grows up to 15 millimeters (about half an inch) wide. Each fruit usually has one seed inside, but sometimes you might find two.

How People Use It

The fruit of the cambuí plant is quite important in some places, especially in the State of Sergipe in Brazil. People there pick the fruits and sell them fresh in local markets for others to enjoy.

Besides eating them fresh, the fruits are also used to make other tasty things. They can be turned into refreshing juice, sweet jelly, and even wine.