346 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



ACHRAS SAPOTA, L. the Sapodilla-plum, a native of 

 Tropical America, cultivated in India. 



Leaves alternate, simple, petioled, elliptic or obovate,. 

 shortly acuminate, entire, coriaceous, glabrous. Vena- 

 tion pinnate, the midrib very strong, the veins very 

 numerous and slender. Flowers on axillary pedicles 

 of an inch in length and similar to those of MIMUSOPS 

 ELENGI, L. but with fewer parts and not opening 

 widely. 



Calyx and corolla six-lobed; staminodes six, petal- 

 oid ; stamens six ; ovary twelve-celled, tomentose, style 

 stout. Fruit globular like an orange, with thin brown 

 skin and persistent calyx lobes. 



CHARACTERS OF THE SAPOTACE^E 



The SAPOTACE^E are a family found only in the 

 Tropics. They consist of trees and shrubs, with al- 

 ternate, entire, exstipulate leaves, and the young parts 

 covered by a brown tomentum. 



The flowers are curious in that the sepals are 

 mostly in two whorls. The petals and stamens both 

 alternate with the sepals, the staminodes being the 

 outer whorl. In some genera there are scales on the 

 inside of the corolla-lobes, in others (as MIMOSOPs) on 

 the outside. 



APOCYNACE^: 



Examples : 



ViNCA ROSEA, L. a herb very commonly grown 

 in gardens and in dry sandy places, for its white or 

 purplish-pink flower. Stem round, green or purplish. 

 Leaves opposite, shortly petioled, elliptic or obovate,. 



