FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 215 
wood of many is extremely hard and would be valuable in the arts, but 
as the Sapotaceae are preeminently trees of the virgin forest it is often 
impossible to utilize them. A kind of gutta percha is derived from 
Mimusops Balata of Guiana. Another species growing in South Florida 
(If. Siebert) is known as wild sapodilla or “ dilly,” and the fruit is much 
prized by children, although it cannot be called of superior quality. 
Fic. 186. The Wild Sapodilla (Mimusops Sieberi) showing flower cluster 
and section of fruit, the whole reduced. Original. 
Family Ebenaceae. Ebony Family. Contains half a dozen genera 
and about 280 species, natives of warm climates. They are trees or 
shrubs, characterized in general by the coriaceous entire leaves, and per- 
fect or unisexual flowers having a persistent 3—-7—parted calyx, a 3-7- 
cleft corolla, and twice or thrice as many stamens. The 3-several-celled 
ovary becomes a fleshy berry in fruit. The trees of this family yield a 
hard and valuable wood, ebony being the product chiefly of an East In- 
dian species of persimmon (Diospyros). Another species of the same 
genus affords the variegated Calamander wood of Ceylon. The edible 
fruit of Diospyros is familiar to every one who has lived ina persimmon 
region, and particularly to the luckless individuals (and their name is 
legion!) who have ventured to taste the attractive orange-colored berries 
before the frost has induced a partial decay. The Japanese persimmon 
(D. Kaki) is much larger and superior in flavor to our own. 
Family Symplocaceae. Sweet-leaf Family. Trees or shrubs with 
broad entire leaves and mostly perfect, clustered flowers. Calyx-tube 
