Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family Moraceae. Its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor.
Breadfruit was spread into Oceania via the Austronesian expansion and is believed to have been selectively bred in Polynesia from the breadnut (Artocarpus camansi). British and French navigators introduced a few Polynesian seedless varieties to Caribbean islands during the late 18th century. Today it is widely grown in tropical regions throughout South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific and Caribbean islands, lowland Central America, northern South America and Africa.
In addition to the fruit serving as a staple food in many cultures, the light, sturdy timber of breadfruit has been used for making furniture, houses, and surfboards.
Breadfruit is closely related to A. camansi (breadnut or seeded breadfruit) of New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines, A. blancoi (tipolo or antipolo) of the Philippines, and more distantly, A. mariannensis (dugdug) of Micronesia, species that are also sometimes called "breadfruit". It is also closely related to the jackfruit.
