breadnut

breadnut
/bred"nut'/, n.
the round, yellow or brown fruit of the ramon, Brosimum alicastrum, of the mulberry family, used, roasted or boiled, as a substitute for bread in the West Indies.
[1750-60; BREAD + NUT]

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▪ tree genus
also called  milk tree  or  ramon 

      prolific trees closely related to the breadfruit and found widely in second-growth Central American tropical rainforests, where its presence in deep forest is considered evidence of pre-Colombian Mayan silviculture. The tree has since been cultivated in many tropical countries.

      Tall with a dense, wide crown, a single breadnut tree can yield 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) of nutritious seeds from masses of yellow, round, one-inch fruits. The alternate, short-stemmed, oval or oblong leaves measure about 18 cm (7 inches) long.

      The breadnut is an easy tree to cultivate, tolerating many soil types and growing rapidly. The light-coloured, hard wood can be used in construction. The tree is a source of food for both humans and livestock. The smooth, leathery leaves offer forage for cows, sheep, and goats. The sweet, succulent fruits contain protein-rich seeds that are boiled and made into a paste or are roasted and used to make a coffeelike drink. The milk-white sap, giving the tree one of its popular names, is a nutritious drink.

      Breadnut trees grow widely in areas formerly colonized by the Mayan (Maya) civilization, especially in the Petén region of Guatemala. They were planted extensively in the lost city of Tikal (200 BC–AD 900). Mayans are thought to have preserved the seeds in underground chambers called chultunob, probably as insurance against famine. Brosimum belongs to the family Moraceae.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Breadnut — Taxobox | name = Breadnut regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis =Magnoliopsida ordo = Rosales familia = Moraceae genus = Brosimum species = B. alicastrum binomial = Brosimum alicastrum binomial authority = The breadnut ( Brosimum… …   Wikipedia

  • breadnut — vaistinis pienmedis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Šilkmedinių šeimos krakmolinis, medieninis, pašarinis, vaistinis augalas (Brosimum alicastrum), paplitęs Centrinėje ir Pietų Amerikoje. Naudojamas gėrimams (kavos pakaitalui) gaminti.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • breadnut — paprastasis duonmedis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Šilkmedinių šeimos daržovinis, krakmolinis augalas (Artocarpus altilis), paplitęs atogrąžų Azijoje, kituose atogrąžų kraštuose auginamas. Jo sėklos ir vaisiai valgomi. atitikmenys: lot.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • breadnut — vaistinio pienmedžio bolivinis porūšis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Šilkmedinių šeimos medieninis, vaisinis augalas (Brosimum alicastrum subsp. bolivarense), paplitęs Pietų Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Brosimum alicastrum subsp.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Breadnut — Brosimum (E); Trophis (E) …   EthnoBotanical Dictionary

  • breadnut — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun 1. : the nut of a tree (Brosimum alicastrum) of Jamaica and Mexico that is roasted and ground into a flour from which bread is made 2. : a tree (Brosimum terrabanum) of British Honduras whose leaves furnish fodder 3. : a seeded… …   Useful english dictionary

  • bastard breadnut — gvianinis pienmedis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Šilkmedinių šeimos medieninis augalas (Brosimum guianens), paplitęs Pietų Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Brosimum guianens; muirapimina angl. bastard breadnut isp. coquillo; gatea šaltinis… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Brosimum alicastrum — Breadnut Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked) …   Wikipedia

  • Breadfruit — Taxobox name = Breadfruit image width = 240px image caption = Breadfruit cultivated on Hawai i Island regnum = Plantae phylum = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Rosales familia = Moraceae genus = Artocarpus species = A. altilis… …   Wikipedia

  • ramon — rəˈmōn noun ( s) Etymology: American Spanish ramón, from Spanish, browse, aug. of ramo branch, twig more at ramada : breadnut 1 * * * /reuh mohn /, n. any of several tropical American trees belonging to the genus Brosimum, of the mulberry family …   Useful english dictionary

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