Manilkara Zapotilla (Jacqg.) Gilly (Achras Zapota 
L.): Ttcozdpotl, chicozapote, sapodilla. 
The sapodilla is widely cultivated in tropical America 
as a fruit tree, and the wild trees are of importance as the 
source of chicle, a substance known and used by the an- 
cient Mexicans. Its wood is extremely durable and is 
said to have been used by the Mayas in temple construc- 
tion. The name ‘‘Achras Zapota’’ is well established in 
the literature, though there may be good botanical and 
nomenclatural reasons for abandoning it (82). Further 
study or action of the International Botanical Congress 
may conserve the older and better known name. Manil- 
kara Zapotilla is a highly variable species, thought to be 
native from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. (63*, 82%, 
133, 158, 191) 
Nicotiana Tabacum L.; N. rustica L.: Yetl, 
picietl, tobacco. 
Various species of tobacco were cultivated and used 
almost throughout the Americas. There is no agreement 
as to which species was the most important in_pre- 
Columbian Mexico. Setchell (182) considered N. Taba- 
cum to be the principal tobacco of Mexico, while Spinden 
(190) considers N. rustica to have been the only species 
cultivated there, at least in the central highlands. It is 
probable that N. T'abacum was known and cultivated at 
least in southern Mexico. The plant figured by Hernan- 
dez (Plate XX) is clearly NM. rustica, but the ‘‘quauhyetl”’ 
which he mentions may be N. T'abacum. 
Nicotiana has been the subject of intensive cytogenetic 
study with results of value both to botany and to anthro- 
pology. Like the New World cultivated Gossypium, 
both of these species of tobacco are allopolyploids. N. 
rustica appears to have arisen as a hybrid between the 
progenitors of two modern species which occur in the 
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