THE LIT CHI AND ITS RELATIVES 333 



(Sapindus Saponaria). The tree, which grows slowly, is erect, 

 shapely, 30 to 40 or sometimes as much as 60 feet high. The 

 leaves are compound, with two pairs of elliptic-lanceolate, 

 acute, glabrous leaflets, the lower pair about half the size of the 

 upper. The small flowers, which are produced in short panicles, 

 are followed by clusters of smooth round fruits about the size 

 of plums. The outer covering of these fruits is thick and 

 leathery, and green on the surface ; it incloses a large round seed 

 surrounded by soft, yellowish, translucent, juicy pulp. The 

 flavor is said to be usually sweet and pleasant, but in many 

 varieties it is acid, especially if the fruit is not fully ripe. 



The generic name Melicocca means honey-berry, and is 

 intended to refer to the flavor of the fruit ; but some of the 

 mamoncillos grown in Cuba are frequently as sour as limes. 

 Indeed, one of the common names for this fruit in southern 

 Florida is Spanish-lime ; it is also there called genip. Mamon- 

 cillo is the Cuban name. In Porto Rico it is known as genipe. 

 In the French islands this same name (supposedly) is current, 

 in the form quenette or knepe. 



P. W. Reasoner says : "The fruit markets well in Key West, 

 and there are a number of fine bearing trees in that place, and 

 on the other islands. It is worthy of more attention all over 

 south Florida." At Miami and Palm Beach it grows well, 

 but some of the trees do not bear fruit. The mature plant with- 

 stands several degrees of frost without injury. It does not 

 require rich soil, nor is it particularly exacting in other ways. 

 So far as is known, it has never been grown to fruiting stage in 

 California. 



The mamoncillo has been propagated up to the present 

 time exclusively by seed. It will probably lend itself, however, 

 to the vegetative methods which are employed with its relatives. 

 No horticultural varieties have been established. 



