THE SAPOTACEOUS FRUITS 



349 



While some trees produce fruit abundantly, others are poor 

 bearers. As usual, there is much variation also in the size 

 and quality of the fruits borne by different seedlings. 



THE ABIU (Fig. 46) 

 (Pouteria Caimito, Radlk.) 



Although the abiu is one of the best of the sapotaceous fruits, 

 it is not so widely cultivated as several other species. It 

 greatly resembles the canistel in habit of 

 growth and in foliage, but is easily distin- 

 guished from it by its light yellow fruit with 

 white flesh. The tree reaches 15 or 20 feet 

 in height. The leaves are obovate to lanceo- 

 late in outline, 4 to 8 inches long, acute, 

 glabrous, and bright green. The fruit is 

 ovate-elliptic (occasionally almost round) 

 in form, 2 to 4 inches long, and bright 

 yellow in color, with skin thick and tough. 

 Surrounding the two or three large oblong 

 seeds is the translucent flesh, which in flavor 

 resembles the sapodilla but is of different 

 texture. Until fully ripe it contains a milky 

 latex which coagulates on exposure to the air 

 and sticks to the lips in a troublesome 

 manner. 



Alphonse DeCandolle says of this species : 

 " It has been transported from Peru, where 

 it is cultivated, to Ega on the Amazon river, 

 and to Para, where it is commonly called abi 

 or abiu. Ruiz and Pa von say it is wild in 

 the warm regions of Peru, and at the foot of the Andes." 

 Jacques Huber reports that its culture is now extensive at Para 

 and elsewhere in the Amazon Valley. It is a common fruit 



FIG. 46. The abiu 

 (Pouleria Caimito), 

 one of the best of the 

 sapotaceous fruits. 

 It is cultivated in 

 Peru and Brazil, 

 rarely elsewhere. 

 The skin is yellow, 

 the flesh whitish, 

 melting, and sweet. 

 (X ) 



