Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Muntingia calabura L.

niguito, capulin, calabur, Jamaican cherry, Panama berry

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)

Order
Malvales

Family
Muntingiaceae

Genus
Muntingia

Species
calabura

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Year of first record: 1985

Mode of introduction: Intentional

Introduction Pathway: Intentional

Subpathway: Agriculture/Horticulture

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: Potentially Invasive

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

References

  • Chavez, J. (1993) Diagnostico de la Agricultura y la Ganader¡a en la Provincia de Galapagos. Tesis.
  • CONABIO (2009) Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. Cap. nat. México 1.
  • Flores, E. (1985) Censo de Plantas Introducidas desde el Canal de Itabaca hasta Puerto Ayora. Tesis de Ingeniero Forestal, Univ. Técnica Luis Vargas Torres, Esmeraldas: 1-132.
  • Funk, V.T. Hollowell, T., Berry, P., Kelloff, C. & Alexander, S.N. (2007) Checklist of the Plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 55: 1-584.
  • Guézou, A. Trueman, M., Buddenhagen, E., Chamorro, S., Guerrero, A.M., Pozo, P., Atkinson, R. (2010) An extensive Alien Plan Inventory from the Inhabited Areas of Galapagos Plos One/ www.plosone.org. Volume 5/ Issue 4/e10276
  • Hokche, O. Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (2008) Nuev. Cat. Fl. Vas. Venezuela 1–860.
  • Lawesson, J.E. (1987) Plantas exóticas en las Islas Galápagos, un resumen. Memorias. Taller sobre investigación Botánica y manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 17-23.
  • Prado Erazo, G.E. (1986) Informe preliminar, Censo de especies arboreas introducidas en la zona agricola de la isla Santa Cruz. Charles Darwin Research Station, unpublished, typescript CDF library
  • Romay, G. Chirinos, D., Castro, R, Espinoza, W. & Bragard, C. (2021) Muntingia yellow spot virus: a novel New World begomovirus infecting Muntingia calabura L. Romay, G., Chirinos, D.T., Castro, R., Espinoza, W. and Bragard, C., 2021. Muntingia yellow spot virus: a novel New World begomovirus infecting Muntingia calabura L. Archives of Virology, pp.1-4.
  • Standley, P.C. Steyermark, J.A. (1946) Burseraceae. In Standley, P.C. & Steyermark, J.A. (eds.) Flora of Guatemala - Part V. Fieldiana, Bot. 24(5): 434–444
  • Stevens, W.D. Ulloa, C., Pool, A., & Montiel, O.M. (2001) Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85: i–xlii, 1–2666.
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Muntingia calabura", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=420. Accessed 2 November 2026.