Talk:Miracle fruit

resource

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/334779/title/Miracle_fruit_secret_revealed 97.87.29.188 (talk) 22:49, 25 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

What, potentially, might the Science News article add to this article? — Arthur Rubin (talk) 04:49, 26 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It appears to be Richadella dulcifica specific ("Miracle fruit"). Not sure it has another name too. 97.87.29.188 (talk) 00:37, 29 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

That's not one of the ones in our disambiguation page. — Arthur Rubin (talk) 06:11, 29 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Redirecting to Synsepalum dulcificum

The primary topic of Miracle fruit seems to be Synsepalum dulcificum. Google Scholar has 282 hits for "miracle fruit"+Synsepalum. Many scholarly articles on Gymnema and Thaumatococcus also mention Synsepalum (as another taste modifying plant), with the term "miracle fruit" referring to Synsepalum. Google Scholar results for "miracle fruit"-Synsepalum+Gymnema: 61; "miracle fruit"-Synsepalum+Thaumatococcus: 47. Many of these results are clearly still using "miracle fruit" for Synsepalum, but are using a synonym (e.g. Richardella dulcificum) or omit the scientific name. While some generally reliable sources claim that "miracle fruit" is a common name for Gymnema or Thaumatococcus, I suspect this is essentially an error stemming from Synsepalum often being mentioned in conjuction with the other supposed "miracle fruits". The earliest reference cited in the Gymnema syvlestre for "miracle fruit" applying to that species was published in 1994 (here:[1]). There do not appear to be any Google Scholar results using "miracle fruit" for Gymnema or Thaumatococcus prior to 1993 (although one journal article mentions that the effects of Thaumatococcus may be confused with "miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum)").

I am redirecting this page to Synsepalum dulcificum. Usage of the miracle fruit for the other species can be addressed with a hatnote.Plantdrew (talk) 03:35, 6 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I disagree. I think there should be more fruits included in the disambiguation. In fact, I can't think of a fruit which isn't occassionally called "miracle fruit". — Arthur Rubin (talk) 03:52, 6 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Certainly "miracle fruit" as a descriptive phrase (rather than as a common name) is applied to many other fruits, particularly in the context of diet/health fads. If usage for many different fruits sometimes described as miracle fruits is the primary topic of "miracle fruit", this page should perhaps redirect to Fruit or List of culinary fruits, or even Super food. However, this does not seem to be the case.

Of the first 100 Google results for "miracle fruit" 98 are about Synsepalum (the other 2 results are for a novel titled "Miracle Fruit"). Of the first 40 Google results for "is a miracle fruit", the descriptive phrases is used 23 times for Synsepalum, 3 times for soursop, 2 times for aronia berry, acai and papaya, and 1 time for lemon, coconut, goji, celery, maqui and Garcinia camboga, and twice where the miracle fruit in question can't be determined. While results beyond the first 40 for "is a miracle fruit" predominantly use the phrase for a variety of fruits, there is a fundamental difference between a descriptive phrase and a common name. Somebody who reads "soursop is a miracle fruit for cancer" and goes to Wikipedia to learn more will most likely search for soursop, not miracle fruit.Plantdrew (talk) 15:56, 6 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Any further comments? I'm reinstating the redirect, but would be open to retaining this page for disambiguation. If kept as a dab/set index, Synsepalum should be featured more prominently (as the primary topic), and a link to superfruit should be added.Plantdrew (talk) 19:38, 8 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]