3.1.2. Botanical Aspects

*T. esculenta* is an arboreal fruit plant of some 6–12 m in height, with terrestrial roots and aerial and erect cylindrical stems of dark and lenticelous in color; leaves are composite and alternate, with 2 to 4 pairs of leaflets, with petioles of 3–10 cm in length and a petiole of 1–5 mm and simple non-glandular trichomes on their surface. In addition, as to morphology, leaves are classified in oblong shape, acuminated apex, rounded or obtuse base and venation is of peninerval type [20,28].

Inflorescences are composed, of the thyrsus type, that is, forming racemes of crests. Flowers are white, aromatic, diclamid, with pedicels up to 4 mm in length, gamosepal, with five elliptical sepals and dialipetal, with five petals. Classification regarding sexual characteristics is not well defined, with monoclinous flowers, that is, hermaphrodites, or diclinous, which are unisexual male or female. They present about eight filiform and hairy stamens, oblong and apiculate anthers, trifid stigmas and ovoid ovary, tricarpellar and trilocular [14,20].

Fruit production occurs annually, about ten years after planting, and it is possible to harvest ten to twenty fruits in each raceme. Fruits are generally monospermic, globose, fleshy, drupe type and when ripe they have approximately 2.5 cm in diameter and the color of the epicarp changes from green to brown. The pulp of the ripe fruit has bittersweet flavor and its color varies from white to transparent [29].

Seeds are elongated, reddish in color immediately after harvest and dark after drying. They are surrounded by a pinkish-white aryl, which must be removed before planting, as it can harm germination. Regarding seed viability, it is about 15 days in the environment, but if stored in polyethylene package with 50% relative humidity under refrigeration (approx. 18 ◦C), they can remain viable for up to 25 days. Seed dispersion enables species maintenance; however, it is still not clear which agen<sup>t</sup> is responsible for dissemination, since the fruits attract several animals [18,30,31].
