Definition

1. Noun:
   • A common tropical American tree (Clusia rosea): "pitch apple" is the common name for a specific evergreen tree species native to tropical regions of the Americas. It is also known as the autograph tree.
   • Characteristic features: The tree is known for its solitary white or rose-colored flowers, its thick, leathery leaves on which one can write (hence 'autograph tree'), and its large, apple-like fruit that contains a sticky, resinous pulp.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The pitch apple is often planted as an ornamental tree in tropical gardens.
  • We saw a beautiful pitch apple with rose-colored flowers near the coast.
  • The resin from the pitch apple fruit is very sticky.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: In botanical or horticultural writing, "pitch apple" specifically refers to and its characteristics.
  • The pitch apple, Clusia rosea, is notable for its hemiepiphytic growth habit.

Variants and Related Words

• Autograph tree: Another common name for the same species ().
• Clusia: The genus to which the pitch apple belongs. Other species in this genus may have different common names.
• Copey: A regional name used in some areas for this tree.

Synonyms

• Autograph tree: The most direct synonym.
• Scotch attorney: A regional name used in some Caribbean islands like Jamaica.

Notes

• The name "pitch apple" derives from the tree's fruit, which resembles an apple and contains a pitch-like, resinous substance.
• It is important to distinguish the common name "pitch apple" from other plants; it refers specifically to .

Noun

1. a common tropical American clusia having solitary white or rose flowers