Harri Lorenzi should have dedicated a page in his book (which I don't have); but I do see comments comparing not only the physical character of the fruit to Abiu - but also the taste.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630893@N08/2590630385/#This tree is native to the Atlantic, from the coastal region of Rio de Janeiro (today almost entirely urbanized area) to the southeast of the state of Minas Gerais, in the Parque do Rio Doce.
was abundant at the time of colonial Brazil, today is considered endangered in the wild.
Being a large tree, very hard wood, and beautiful and tasty fruit, was appreciated by Emperor D. Pedro I, and also by his son, D. Pedro II, who sent copies to botanical gardens around the world.
During the Second Empire and was unusual because of its logging for timber to build their ships, becoming even rarer after the end of the Empire.
Incredibly, Republicans Pernambucana the famous Revolution of 1817 cut all copies, including growing in Brazilian gardens by the fact that his name was associated with the Emperor!.
Until the early twenty-first century, there were only a few known specimens, all adults, and most outside Brazil, in the following collections:
Botanical Garden of Lisbon, Portugal (planted in 1878)
Farroupilha Park in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul
Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia (planted in 1868)
Carlos Thays Botanical Garden, in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Botanical Garden of Brussels, Belgium
Botanical Garden of Florence, Italy There is now a group of people from several countries that deals with the search and preservation of specimens of this species and work to reproduce by seeds. This is a work of great importance as it will allow the restoration and maintenance of the same individuals in the wild, so to save the endangered species. This group achieved two major successes: relict specimens discovered in the wild, in the region of the Parque Estadual do Rio Doce and Pingo Dagua east of Minas Gerais. were also discovered at least one copy in a remnant of native forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro in submontane forest environment ombrófila dense, at an altitude of 200 m around the Baía Guanabara. It measures about 20 to 25 m high, and appears to have more than 100 years old. Currently, in parts of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are planted several individuals of this species, which grow with some difficulty, because it is a slow growing tree and very demanding on soil and climate. The copy of the photograph is the oldest of those found in Argentina, and was sent by D. Pedro II. J. In this Botanical grow two more copies of more than 10 years, generated from seeds that were sent from Sydney. From the same origin and age is the individual who grows in the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture of Buenos Aires