78 



and quality is '"lirio" gum from various "lirio" trees, which is often 

 mixed with balata. The vernacular "lirio" is likewise extensively 

 used in Colombia and applied locally to many widely different plants. 

 Maloutia is a genus of laticiferous trees which occurs in the chicle 

 areas of Colombia, and Pell may possibly refer to a member of this 

 group. An anonymous writer (1921) and Vander Laan, however, 

 report Counia utilis, another species of the Apocynaceae which is 

 known locally as "lirio," as the principal source of chicle in this coun- 

 try. Pittier (1918) describes Brosimum utile as one of the most 

 abundant sources of latex in Colombia, and it may possibly be used 

 as an adulterant. Species of Manilkara are also reported to be tapped 

 for chicle. These species are closely related to those which produce 

 the balata of commerce (Chevalier, 1932), and it is not improbable 

 that a considerable amount of latex from the latter, together with 

 that from species of Sapium, Sideroxylon, and Palaqiiim, is used in 

 adulteration. Along the north coast of Colombia is gathered an in- 

 ferior chicle known as "perillo," which was exported to the extent 

 of nearly a half million pounds in 1923. Very little is known, how- 

 ever, of its source, as far as the writer is aware. 



The chicle of Venezuela is known locally as "pendare" and was 

 exported to the amount of over a half million pounds in 1914, 1915, 

 and 1920. According to Fletcher (1927) and Vander Laan, it re- 

 sembles balata, and probably comes from a species of Manilkara. 

 Planchon (1888), however, reported that A. zapota is abundant in 

 the forests of Venezuela, but since his studies of the Sapotaceae were 

 made before the chicle industry had become extensively established, 

 he did not describe it as a source of gum. Doubtless, like Pittier 

 (1914), his description deals primarily with the cultivated sapodil- 

 las. Couma sapida (Pittier, 1926) occurs in the chicle areas of 

 \"enezuela and may possibly be tapped for chicle. 



Small amounts of chicle have been shipped from Panama, Costa 

 Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras from time to time, but the exact 

 source of this gum is not certain from the literature. Doubtless, in 

 addition to A. zapota as a source, it comes largely from A. chicle and 

 the chiquibul form of A. zapota^ and is adulterated with the latex of 

 other laticiferous species. In 1922 Costa Rica exported considerably 

 more than a hundred thousand pounds. The exports of Honduras 

 probably relate largely to Guatemalan chicle shipped through Hon- 

 duranian ports. 



