Blighia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tropical evergreen tree of West Africa whose fruit, when ripe, splits open to reveal edible yellow arils
2. A tall tropical tree native to West Africa that produces the akee fruit, a plant genus named after Captain William Bligh
3. An African tropical tree in the soapberry family, valued for its fruit which is a food source when properly prepared

Etymology: The ackee tree, a West African species, was named for William Bligh, the English naval officer infamous for the mutiny on the Bounty. Bligh carried the tree from West Africa to the Caribbean during his later breadfruit voyages, and botanists honoured him by naming the genus after him. The name is a Latinised form of his surname, "Bligh," with the "-ia" ending that taxonomists routinely attached to people's names for plant genera. The botanical name therefore records a navy captain's voyage rather than any feature of the plant itself. The fruit is the part most people know. Its arils are eaten in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, but only when fully ripe and properly prepared, because unripe fruit contains toxins.