244 MR HIERN, ON 



125. DIOSPYEOS EBENASTER, Retz. Obs. Bot., fasc. v., p. 31 (1789). 



D. glabra, foliis alternis, ellipticis vel oUongis, apice plerlsque obtusis, basi angustatis, 

 firmiter membranaceis, nitidis, petiolatis ; floribus 4 Q-meris, pubescentibus, axillaribus> 

 polygamis, pedunculis brevibiis uniftoris vel masculis pluriftoris, calyce 4 Q-fido, lobis ovatis 

 margine revolutis, corolla urceolatd, apice lobatd, staminibus 8 20, leviter pubescentibus, 

 ovario pubescente, 4 \Q-loculari; fructibus magnis edulibus, 4 10-spermis, albumine non 

 ruminato. 



Alph. DC. Prodr. vin. p. 235. n. 64 (1844) ; non Spach ; nee D. Hebenaster, Gaertn. 

 Fruct. et Sem. PI. n. p. 478. t. 179. f. 9 (1791). 



D. digyna, Jacq. Hort. Schoenbr. vol. in. p. 35. t. 313 (1798); Alph. DC. I.e. p. 238. n. 

 80; non Hort. 



D. revoluta, Poir. in Encycl. Meth. v. p. 435. n. 18 (1804); Alph. DC. I.e. p. 234. n. 60. 



D. obtusifolia, Humb. et Bonpl. ex Willd. Sp. PI. iv. p. 1112 (1805) ; Humb. Bonpl. et 

 Kunth, Nov. Gen. et Sp. PI. in. p. 253. t. 247 (1818); Alph. DC. I.e. p. 227. n. 24; non Bert. 



D. Sapota, Roxb. Hort. Beng. p. 40 (1814), Fl. Ind. edit. 1832, vol. n. p. 535; Bot. Mag. 

 LXix. t. 3988 (1843); Alph. DC. I.e. p. 228. n. 25. 



D. sapotanigra, DC. Ess. Prop. Med. PI. p. 200 (1816). 



D. edulis, Lodd. ex Sweet, Hort. Brit. p. 270 (1827) ; Alph. DC. I. c. p. 239. n. 90. 



D. decandra, Boj. Hort. Maurit. p. 200 (1837), non Lour. 



Sapota nigra, Blanco, Fl. Filip. p. 409 (1837). 



D. membranacea, Alph. DC. ! I. c. p. 227. n. 20 (1844). 



D. nigra, Blanco, Fl. Filip. edit. ii. p. 211 (1845). 



D. laurifolia, A. Rich. Fl. Cub. in Ramon de la Sagra, Hist, de Cuba, vol. XI. p. 86. t. 55 

 (184555), ex Walp. Ann. Bot. V. p. 480 (1858). 



D. brasiliensis, Mart. Fl. Bras. vil. p. 5. t. 2. f. 2 (1856). 



Hebenaster, Rumph. Amb. in. lib. IV. p. 13. t. 6 (1750). 



Sapotte Negro, Sonnerat, Voy. a la Nouv. Guin. p. 45. tt. 14 16 (1776). 



A tall shrub or even lofty tree, quite glabrous except the inflorescence ; branches dark. 

 Leaves alternate, elliptical or oblong, usually obtuse at apex, somewhat narrowed at base, firmly 

 membranous, shining, evergreen, 3 12 in. long by 1| 3 Jin. wide; midrib depressed above; 

 net-veins not conspicuous; petioles ranging up to | in. long. Flowers polygamous, 4 6- 

 merous, \ 1 in. long, pubescent ; peduncles axillary, pubescent, solitary, those producing 

 male ffowers with several flowers, those with hermaphrodite or female flowers 1-flowered, 

 \ \ in. long, bracteate. Calyx ample, \ | in. long, somewhat hairy on both sides, 4 6-fid, 

 lobes ovate, with revolute margins and sinuses. Corolla urceolate, twice the length of the 

 calyx, yellowish white or greenish, thick and fleshy, 4 6-lobed at apex, silky or nearly 

 glabrescent. Stamens 8 20, slightly hairy, often some or all in pairs; filaments some- 

 what pilose. Styles 2 5 ; ovary pubescent, 4 10-celled. Fruit globose, \\ 4 in. in dia- 

 meter, glabrous, shining, of olive yellowish-green colour when ripe, filled with a dark soft 

 and paste-like pulp, edible; towards the centre of the pulp are 410 cells, each con- 

 taining a large oval compressed seed; albumen cartilaginous, not ruminated. Fruiting 

 calyx spreading, much thickened in middle, 5 6-fid, 1 l^in. in diameter or less, puberulous 

 on both sides, lobes undulated.- Fruiting peduncles about \ in. long. 



