CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 659 



gutta-percha, as Mimusops Balata, M. Elengi, and about fifteen 

 species of Payena growing in the East Indies. 



GUM BALATA is obtained from Mimusops Balata, a tree of 

 Guiana. The gum is more resinous and flexible than gutta-percha. 

 It contains /?-amyrin acetate and probably lupeol acetate. 



A gum resembling gutta-percha is obtained from the Sabodilla 

 tree (Achras Sapota}. This gum is known in commerce as GUM 

 CHICLE and is obtained from Yucatan. It is whitish, brittle, and 

 yet somewhat elastic, aromatic, and contains 45 per cent, of a 

 colorless crystallizable resin, soluble in alcohol and ether ; and 18 

 per cent, of caoutchouc. It is used in large quantities in the making 

 of chewing gum. 



The seeds of Illipe butyracea yield a fixed oil which is known 

 as VEGETABLE BUTTER. A fixed oil is also obtained from other 

 species of Illipe as well as various species of Bassia, Argania, and 

 Butyrospermum, that from the latter being known as " shea 

 butter." 



The family is notable on account of the hard woods, known as 

 IRONWOODS, which it furnishes, these being yielded by Mimusops 

 Kauki of Farther India and tropical Australia and Argania Side- 

 roxylon of Southwestern Morocco. 



A number of species also yield highly prized edible fruits, as 

 the SAPOTILLA yielded by Achras Sapota indigenous to the Antil- 

 les and cultivated in tropical countries, and STAR APPLE yielded by 

 Chrysophyllum Cainito of tropical America. 



b. EBENACEyE OR EBONY FAMILY. The plants differ 

 from those of the preceding family in not containing a latex. The 

 flowers are monrecious or dioecious and they usually have from two 

 to eight styles. The chief interest is in the genus Diospyros, which 

 yields the wood known as EBONY. Black ebony is obtained from 

 various species of Diospyros growing in tropical Africa, and Asia, 

 and the Philippine Islands. White ebony is obtained from several 

 species of Diospyros growing in the Philippines. A red ebony is 

 obtained from D. rubra of Mauritius, a green ebony from D. 

 Chloroxylon of Farther India, and a striped ebony from several 

 species growing in the Philippines. 



PERSIMMON fruit is obtained from Diospyros virginiana, a 

 tree growing from Rhode Island south to Texas. The astrin- 



