THE DICOTYLEDONES 1869 



being reduced to staminodes or entirely absent. The gynoecium is syn- 

 carpous and multilocular. The fruit is a berry, often with a sclerenchy- 

 matous outer layer. These sapotaceous, tropical fruits often reach a con- 

 siderable size and are locally of economic importance. Among the more 

 common we may mention Achras sapota (Fig. 1776), the Sapodilla, which is 

 one of the best tropical American fruits. The tree is evergreen, reaching 

 75 ft. in height. The bark contains a latex known as chicle which is obtained 

 by tapping and is used as a base for chewing-gum. The fruit is oval or 

 conical, 2 to 3^ in. in diameter, the skin is thin and rusty brown in colour, 

 the flesh is translucent and contains about 14 per cent, of sugar, mostly 

 sucrose. Chrysophylhim mammositm, the Sapote, is also of importance in 

 Central America. The fruit is elliptical or oval in shape, 3 to 6 in. long and 

 russet brown in colour. The taste is very sweet, without any acid flavour. 



C. viride, the Green Sapote, is considered by experts to be superior to the 

 last in flavour but is much more limited in distribution, being found only in 

 the highlands of Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica. The Star Apple 

 (C. cainito) is common in Cuba, Jamaica and other parts of Central America 

 and is regarded as a valuable fruit which may either be eaten fresh or made 

 into jam. Other sapotaceous fruits include Luciima nervosa (Canistel), 

 L. salicifolia (Yellow Sapote), L. obovata (Lucmo) and L. carinito (Abiu). 



Species of the genus Sideroxyloti produce a useful timber known as 

 Ironwood. This genus which contains about 100 species is found in 

 tropical and subtropical parts of the Old World. The latex of such genera 

 as Payena, found in Malaya, and Mimusops, which is widely cultivated in 

 the tropics, is a source of Gutta Percha. 



The Ebenaceae are a small family with five genera and about 350 species. 

 The species are important chiefly because of the very hard wood, which is 

 usually black or more rarely green in colour. Ebony is the heartwood of 

 various species of Diospyros. This genus, which contains 200 species, is 

 widely distributed in the tropics, especially in the Old World. D. reticulata, 

 occurring in Mauritius, and D. ebemim in Ceylon, yield the finest ebony. 



D. quaesita, also in Ceylon, yields Calamander wood, while D. embryopteris 

 of India provides a sticky pulp used for caulking. This genus also yields 

 several valuable fruits. D. kaki, the Japanese Persimmon, is a tree up to 

 40 ft. in height which, though native of eastern Asia, is now cultivated in 

 America. The fruit is oval or conical, about 3 in. in diameter, with an 

 orange-coloured pulp, and contains about 15 per cent, of sugar. A number 

 of cultivated varieties are recognized. D. ehenastri is the Black Sapote, 

 which is restricted to Mexico where the fruit is regarded as of equal merit to 

 that of D. kaki. D. discolor, the Mabolo, is valued in Malaya for its fruits. 

 D. lotus is the Date Plum of the eastern Mediterranean region. These 

 trees are distinguished from those of the Sapotaceae by the absence of any 

 laticiferous system. 



The Styracaceae are a small family of eight genera and 120 species 

 which are widely distributed in the warm climates. Styrax (Fig. 1777) 

 with 100 species yields resins. S. officinalis 'oi the Mediterranean region 



