RELATIVES OF THE MANGO 155 



THE AMBARELLA (Plate VI) 



(Spondias cytherea, Sonnerat.) 



This is probably the most widely cultivated species of 

 Spondias, although it is not so extensively distributed, in its 

 wild state, as the yellow mombin. It is known in many 

 tropical countries and can be cultivated successfully as far 

 north as southern Florida. While not generally considered 

 a fruit of excellent quality, an occasional tree is much superior 

 to the average and is worth propagating. 



The ambarella is an erect, stately, semi-deciduous tree, 

 usually stiff in appearance. It reaches a maximum height of 

 60 feet. The leaves are large, commonly 8 to 12 inches long ; 

 the leaflets, 11 to 23 in number, are oval to oblong in outline, 

 2\ to 3 inches in length, remotely serrate, and acuminate at the 

 apex. Like those of the imbu, they are equilateral or nearly so. 

 The small whitish flowers are produced in large loose panicles 

 8 to 12 inches in length. 



The fruit is oval or slightly obovoid in form, 2 to 3 inches long, 

 and orange-yellow in color. The skin is as thick as that of the 

 mango, but tougher. The flesh is firm, very juicy, and of pale 

 yellow color. Its subacid flavor suggests that of the apple; 

 sometimes, however, it is resinous or pungent. The seed is 

 large, oval, 1 inch in length, covered with stiff spines or bristles 

 to which the surrounding flesh clings tenaciously. 



Although larger than those of other species of Spondias, the 

 fruits of the ambarella are not usually so pleasantly flavored 

 as are choice imbus or the best red mombins (see below). 

 They are produced in long pendent clusters of two to ten. In 

 Florida they ripen during the winter : in Tahiti the season is 

 said to be May to July, and in Hawaii November to April. 

 The composition of the fruit, according to an analysis by Alice 

 R. Thompson of Hawaii, is as follows : Total solids 14.53 per 



