Central America. In Haiti the fruit is known as zabriko or abricot. In 1529, it was included by Oviedo in his Review of the Fruits of the New World. It was then introduced to various regions in the Old World: West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, Zanzibar, Southeast Asia, and Hawaii. In the United States, the species is uniquely found in Hawaii and Florida. In the latter state, mammee apples were probably introduced from the Bahamas. The mammea apple tree is confined to tropical or subtropical climates. In Central America, the species is found to grow up to an altitude of 1,000 m. It thrives best in rich, deep, and well-drained soil, but is very adaptive; it also grows on limestone in Jamaica, in the oolithic limestone of the Bahamas, and on ancient coral bedrock in Barbados, as well as coral cays off the coast of Florida. The tree is very sensitive to low temperatures, but seems remarkably resistant to pests and diseases. Uses Traditional medicine In Trinidad and Tobago, the grated seeds are mixed with rum or coconut oil to treat head lice and chiggers. Underripe fruits are rich in pectin, and the tree bark is high in tannin. Culinary interest Though edible, this fruit has received little attention worldwide. The raw flesh can be served in fruit salads, or with wine, sugar, or cream, especially in Jamaica. In the Bahamas, the flesh is first put in salted water to remove its bitterness, before cooking it with much sugar to make a sort of jam. The flesh can also be consumed stewed. In the French West Indies, an aromatic liqueur, , or , is distilled from the mammee flowers. This liqueur is believed to be tonic or digestive. Other Various parts of the tree contain insecticidal substances, especially the seed kernel. In Puerto Rico, mammee leaves are wrapped around young tomato plants to keep mole crickets and cutworms away. In a similar way, the bark gum is melted with fat in Jamaica and Mexico, then applied to the feet to repel chiggers or fleas on animals. The same effect is also obtained from infusions of half-ripe fruits. In the Virgin Islands, the tannin from the bark is used to tan leather. The mammee timber is heavy and hard, yet easy to work; it has received, however, only limited commercial interest. References Further reading Mendes, John (1986). Cote ce Cote la: