LUCUMA 



LUCUMA 



1919 



with the staminodes. The fr. is a berry, 2-10-cclled, 

 the seeds cxidbumiiioiis. — Species perhaps 60, mostly in 

 Amer. but extending to New (iuineu and Austral. 



mammosa, Oaertn. Mahmaladio Fkuit. Mamey 

 Sai'ote. Mamky C'olouado. Sai'otk. Fig. 2213. A 

 large erect tree, 30 to nearly 100 feet high, cult, in 

 Mex., Cent. Amer., tlie \V. Indies, mid N. S. jVmer. 

 Lvs. obovatc to oblanceolate, cuneate at base, rounded 

 to acute at apex, 4-10 in. long, 1 ' 2-I in. broad, glabrous, 

 Ught green above, paler or browoiish beneath: fls. 

 pcdicellaite or subsessile, in glomendes of 2-5; calyx- 

 lobes 8-10; corolla white, .5-lobed, ciUate; stamens 5, 

 inserted slightly lower than tlie staminodes, anthers 

 elliptic-ovate; style conical-elongate, obtuse at tip; 

 ovarj- 5-eelled: fr. globose to elliptical, 3-7 in. long, 

 rusty brown, usually 1-seeded by abortion. Considered 

 a native of Cent. Amer. Pittier has referred this species 

 to Cahcarpum manniwsmn, Pierre, while Cook malces it 

 Achraddpha mammosa. 



nervosa, A. DC. {L. Rivicba var. anguslifblia, Miq.). 

 Ti-Es. Egi^Frdit. Canistel. Fig. 2214. A small tree, 

 10-25 ft. high, with spreading branches: lvs. oblong- 

 obovate to oblanceolate, 4-.S in. long, glabrous, bright 

 green, acute: calyx-lobes 5, the inner ones rounded at 

 the apex; corolla whitish, lobes ovate; style columnar, 

 stigma sUghtly dilated; ovarj- .5-celled: fr. globose to 

 ovoid, orange-yellow, 2-4 in. long, usually 2- or 3-seeded. 

 A native of N. S. Amer., but cult, in other parts of Trop. 

 Amer., naturalized on some of the Florida keys. 



Caimito, Roem. (Poutcria Caimito, Radlk.). ABin. 

 A small tree, about the size of L. nervosa, and very 

 similar in appearance: lvs. obovate to lanceolate, 4—8 in. 

 long, acute, bright green, glabrous: fr. ovate-elliptical, 

 bright yellow, 2-4 in. long, usually 2- or 3-seeded. A 

 native of Peru, but cult, in other parts of S. Amer., 

 especially on the cotist of Brazil. 



In addition to the above may be mentioned the 

 jacana, or hakana, of Porto Rico (L. midtifldra, 

 DC), with oblong or globose frs. 1J^2 in. diam., 

 and sweet, mealy, yellow, edible pulp resembling in 

 appearance the yolk of an egg, inclosing 1-3 seeds. 

 Another noteworthy species is L. obovdta, HBK., 

 the "lucuma" of Peru and N. Chile, with fr. about 

 the size and shape of a small orange, containing 

 yellow pulp of excellent quahty surrounding 1 to 

 several seeds and inclosed in a thm, bright, dark green 

 skin. According to W. E. Safford, specimens of this 

 fr., usually divided into halves, and of the glossy 

 subglobose .seeds, are frequently found in prehistoric 

 graves of the coast tribes of Peru, and facsimiles of the 

 fr. in the form of tcrra-cotta vases are also dug up 

 with Peruvian mummies. L. Pdlmeri, Fern., is listed in 

 S. Calif.: shrub, to 10 ft., with reddish brown bark on 

 young branches: lvs. dark green, oblanceolate or nar- 

 row-obovate: fls. in 2's or 3's or solitary, the corolla 

 twice as long as calyx; stamens and staminodia inserted 

 at top of corolla-tube: fr. over 1 in. long, yellow. Mex. 

 L. salicifolia, HBK., has proved hardy at Santa Bar- 

 bara: lvs. 5-7 in. long and 1 in. wide, lanceolate, some- 

 what acuminate, entire and shining: fls. yellowish green, 

 in 2's or 3's, a.\illar>'; ovarj' hirsute, ovate; style about 

 equaling the corolla. Mex. L. Sellowii, A. DC. Lvs. 

 linear or linear-lanceolate, acute, entire or somewhat 

 repand, shining, the yoimg ones tomentose: fls. on 

 solitarj' or twin axillarj' pedicels, the corolla tulndar, 

 the calyx-lobes and corolla-lobes 4: drupe oblong, size 

 of a pigeon's egg, beaked. Brazil. R.H. 1900, pp. 33, 34. 



The most important member of the genus is without 

 doubt L. mammosa, the mamey sapote, a common fniit 

 in Cuba, and not infrequently seen on the Central 

 American mainland. It can be grown in extreme .south 

 Florida, though it does not seem to thrive on shallow 

 calcareous .soils. California has so far proved too cool 

 for it, and no trees of any size are known in the state. 

 It is said to prefer a deep, rich soil and a rainfall of 



about 70 inches per annum. The fruit is commonly 

 elliptical, and about 6 inches in length. Within the 

 thick vvoo<ly skin, somewhat rough and rusty brown on 

 the surface, is the soft melting Hesh, of a beautiful 

 reddish salmon color, and of about the same consistency 

 as a ripe canteloupe. The large ellijitical seed can be 

 lifted out of the fruit as easily as that of an avocado ; it 



2214. The Ti-es.— Lucuma nervosa. (XU) 



is hard, brown and shining, except on the ventral sur- 

 face, which is whitish and somewhat rough. To one 

 unaccustomed to tropical fruits, the flavor of the mamey 

 sapote is at first somewhat cloying because of its utter 

 lack of acidity; when made into a sherbet, however, as 

 is done in Havana, it is delicious and sure to be relished 

 at first trial. Although natives of tropical countries 

 commonly eat the fruit while fresh, it is also made into 

 marmals-de, or used as a "fUler" in making guava 

 cheese. The Cubans prepare from it a thick jam, known 

 as crcma de m/iniey Colorado, which is delicious. The 

 fruits are picked when mature, and laid away in a cool 

 place to ripen, which takes about a week. If shipped 

 as soon as picked from the tree they can be sent to 

 northern markets without difficulty, and are occasion- 

 ally exported from Cuba and Mexico to the United 

 States. The season of ripening is during the summer; 

 in Costa Rica the tree is said to lose its foliage in the 

 dry season, flowering at the same time. The seed con- 

 tains a large oily kernel, which has a strong smell and 

 a bitter taste. According to Pittier, it is used in Costa 

 Rica, after being finely ground, to prepare an exquisite 

 confection; the same authority states that it is some- 

 times used by the Indians, after being boiled, roasted 

 and ground, to mix with cacao, imparting a bitter 

 taste to the beverage. The foliage of the mamey sapote 

 resembles that of the loquat (Erioholrya japonica), 

 except in its lighter color and entire margins. Propa- 

 gation is by seed, young trees coming into bearing at 

 the age of five to seven years. Before planting it is well 

 to remove the hard outer husk from the seed; it is then 

 easily germinated by planting in light, sandy loam, 

 barely covering it with soU. 



The ti-es (L. nervosa) is esteemed in Cuba, where it 

 is called canistel, and is also popular among many of 

 the residents of southern Florida. It is too tender to be 

 grown in California, unless in the most sheltered loca- 

 tions. Unlike the mamey sapote, the tree succeeds on 

 thin poor soils, and .seems to be at home on the Florida 

 keys. Its season, in Florida, is from December to 

 March. The fruits when ripe are broadly oval to round, 

 orange-yellow in color, commonly about 3 inches in 



