Native to the Caribbean, its range extends from the north of South America to the north of Central America.
The main cultivation country remains Brazil.
It is a globular drupe measuring 1 to 3 cm and weighing 3 to 16 g, similar to European cherries.
Green when immature, they turn orange-red or even scarlet when ripe.
The pulp can be yellow, orange or red.
This fruit is known to be a great source of vitamin C (40 to 100 times more than oranges).