Raindrops keep falling on my fruit

    Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a wild low-growing shrub native to the Amazon rainforest that grows in flooded or swampy areas.  It grows to a height of about 2-3 meters and has large, feathery leaves.  It produces small (about 3cm in diameter), round berries that have a red-purple skin and light colored pulp. 

    Since this fruit has a significant amount of Vitamin C, there is high demand for this fruit in the natural products market.  In fact, some groups are now beginning to study cultivation methods for this important new rainforest resource, which is still wild-harvested throughout the Amazon region in canoes because the fruits mature at high water or flooding seasons.  So, rural inhabitants are utilizing their land and planting Camu camu trees in greater concentrations for economic purposes and this also helps the development and conservation of Amazonian forests. 
   
    The biodiversity of this equatorial Rainforest supports an incredible rich and diverse collection of flora and animals including amphibians, birds, insects, mammals & reptiles.  Some well-known inhabitants are Anacondas, Caimans, Chimpanzees, Gibbons, King Cobras, Jaguars, Sloths, Tamarins, Toucans and elusive Vampire Bats!  Because many organisms are subject to danger by deforestation, it is essential for us to help save the rainforest http://www.savetherainforest.org/!