Caryocar brasiliense "Pequi"

Pequi is a semidrops leaves annuallydeciduous shrub or small tree with a rounded, spreading canopy of a treecrown growing 6 - 10 meters tall. It has a crooked the trunk of a treebole that can be 30 - 40cm in diameter and a deep taproot. The tree is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and oil, which are much appreciated by the local people. The fruits and seeds are often sold in local markets.

Pequi pulp is a very popular food in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais, eaten by itself raw or prepared or used as an ingredient in cooking or to flavor beverages. Pequi with rice and chicken is an especially popular preparation.

The pits with spines and remaining pulp can be left to dry in the sun for two days or so. Afterward, the spines can be scraped off with a knife or stick, and the pit can be cracked open to extract the seed. From the latter, the edible pequi oil is extracted commercially. They can also be roasted like peanuts and eaten with salt as a rich snack.

Nearly every part of the tree is used for food, medical or construction purposes. Pequi occupies an important role in the culture of growing in a particular place; nativeindigenous people in Brazil's Cerrado region.