71 



cates further the variability of Achras species and the difficulty of 

 distinct differentiation. 



The confusion about the species of Achras which yield the chicle 

 of commerce stems largely from the fact that the Indians and chic- 

 leros in various localities and countries have different names for 

 the same plant or the same name for widely different plants ; and 

 collectors unfamiliar with these vernacular synonyms may be readily 

 led astray. Use of vernacular names as a criterion of differentiation 

 without excellent herbarium material is worthless and leads at once 

 into difficulties. To illustrate, Achras chicle in British Honduras is 

 generally known as "chicle macho" and often as "chicozapote," while 

 in Guatemala, according to Record (1926), it goes under the name 

 of "nispero" or "zapotillo." "Chico zapote" and "zapotillo," how- 

 ever, are two of the vernacular names generally applied to Achras 

 sapota in Mexico and other regions. Similarly, "sapodilla" is applied 

 to A. calcicola in Panama. Hence, chicle reported to come from 

 "chico zapote," "zapotilla," and sapodilla may involve several species 

 of Achras as well as other genera of the Sapotaceae. 



Throughout Mexico, Central America, South America, and the 

 West Indies, Achras sapota has more than twenty different vernacu- 

 lar names, many of which are also applied to trees of entirely differ- 

 ent species and genera. Below is a partial list of names commonly 

 given to Achras sapota in different parts of tropical America, accord- 

 ing to Pittier (1914), Standley, and others. 



West Indies, Venezuela, Colombia, and 

 generally throughout Central Amer- 

 ica Nispero zapote 



British West Indies and Florida Naseberry, Sapodilla, neesberry, nis- 



berry 



French West Indies Sapotier, sapotille, sapotillier 



Dutch West Indies Mispel, mispelloom 



Guatemala Chicle zapote, muy, chico zapote, sapo- 

 dilla, zapote chico, zapotillo 



Yucatan Zapote, ya, zapote de abejas, tzapotl, 



palo maria, zapotillo, peruetana 



Vera Cruz, Oaxaca Zapote, chico zapote, zapote chico, 



chico, zapotillo, guendaxina, txicoza- 

 potl 



Panama Mamey, zapote 



Salvador Muyozapot 



Costa Rica Korok, zapote, zapotillo 



Nicaragua Zapote, iban, zapotillo, chico 



