54 



The Journal of Heredity 



THE FAMOUS GONZALES CAPULIN TREE NEAR AMBATO, ECUADOR 



This is one of the largest capulin trees in the Ecuadorean highlands, and at the same time 

 one of the best, both in regard to productiveness and quality of fruit. It stands in the valley of 

 the Rio Patate at Catiglata, a suburb of Ambato; the elevation of this region is about 8500 feet, 

 and the climate is cool and dry. Its enormous crop matures during the first three months of the 

 year: Figure 4 shows some of the fruits. Unless on very deep and fertile soil, capuiin trees do not 

 usually grow to more than half this size. (Fig. 3.) 



Strangely enough, the capulin is 

 practically unknown in Costa Rica, 

 though abundant both north and south 

 of that republic. Pittier does not men- 

 tion it in his "Plantas Usuales de Costa 

 Rica," nor were any trees seen during a 

 three inonths' survey of Costa Rican 

 fruits made by one of the present 

 writers in 1920. 



In the highlands of Colombia the 

 tree is again found abundantly, and 

 here as elsewhere in South America it is 

 known under the Nahuatl name capu- 

 lin, modified to capuli. The Spanish 

 name cerezo (cherry tree; the fruit, 

 cereza) is sometimes applied to it, both 



in Colombia and Guatemala; but 

 most people recognize capulin as the 

 correct appellation. Upon the broad 

 plain surrounding Bogota (the sabana, 

 as it is locally called) there are many 

 capulin trees, and the fruit is frequently 

 seen in the markets of the capital. The 

 elevation of this region is about 8,500 

 feet. The tree also grows upon the 

 mountain sides between Bogota and 

 the Magdalena valley, down to eleva- 

 tions of about 5,000 feet; and we are 

 assured that it is known elsewhere in 

 Colombia. 



Nowhere in the last-named republic, 

 however, is the capulin so important 



