364 A FLORA OP MANILA 



1. DIOSPYROS Linnaeus 



Trees or shrubs. Flowers dioecious, rarely polygamous, axillary, 4- 

 or 5-inerous. Calyx usually deeply lobed, sometimes truncate, that of 

 the female flowers often larger than in the males, usually more or less 

 enlarged in fruit. Corolla tubular, salver-shaped or campanulate, shortly 

 or deeply lobed, the lobes imbricate, lyiale flowers with from 4 to 60 

 stamens, often 16, the filaments often paired or otherwise united; anthers 

 linear; ovary rudimentary. Female flowers with to 16 staminodes; ovary 

 4- to 10-celled, cells 1-, rarely 2-ovul9d; styles or stigmas 1 to 4. Fruit 

 globose to ovoid, fleshy, often large, frequently supported by the much en- 

 larged calyx. Seeds oblong to ellipsoid, usually compressed. (Greek "zeus," 

 i. e. God, and "grain.") 



Species over 200, in the tropics of both hemispheres, few in some tem- 

 perate countries, about 38 in the Philippines; 



Leaves glabrous; fruit green, glabrous 1. D. ebenaster 



Leaves softly pale-pubescent beneath; fruit brown, densely pubescent. 



2. D. discolor 

 ♦1. D. EBENASTER Retz. Sapote negro (Sp.-Fil.). 



A glabrous tree 7 to IB m high. Leaves oblong to elliptic-oblong, 10 

 to 20 cm long, obtuse. Flowers axillary, solitary, greenish-white, 1 to 1.5 

 cm Jong, the calyx-lobes broad. Fruit globose, smooth, green, becoming 

 nearly black, edible, about 10 cm in diameter, the pulp very soft, brownish; 

 seeds usually 4, about 2 cm long. (Fl. Filip. pi. 372, D. nigra.) 



Rarely cultivated, flowering in March; of local occurrence in the Philip- 

 pines. Introduced from Mexico at an early date, and apparently formerly 

 much more common here than now. 



2. D. discolor Willd. Camagon, Mabolo (Tag.) ; Amaga (Vis.) ; Talang 

 (Pamp.). 



A tree 8 to 15 m high. Leaves oblong, 10 to 25 cm long, coriaceous, 

 acute or shortly acuminate, base usually rounded, the upper surface green, 

 shining, glabrous, the lower surface softly pubescent with appressed, pale 

 hairs. Flowers 4-merous. Male flowers pubescent, in short-peduncled, con- 

 gested, about 7-flowered cymes.- Calyx about 1 cm long. Corolla slightly 

 larger than the calyx, nearly white, the tube cylindric, slightly contracted 

 above, the lobes nearly as long as the tube. Stamens about 24, the filaments 

 united in pairs. Female flowers axillary, solitary, sessile, slightly larger 

 than the males. Staminodes usually 4. Styles 4. Fruit large, globose, 

 fleshy, up 10 cm in diameter, ediTale, densely covered with brown hairs. (Fl'. 

 Filip. pi. 109.) 



Common, fl. Feb.-Apr.; widely distributed in the Philippines, indigenous; 

 cultivated in other tropical countries. 



112. OLEACEAE (Olive or Sampaguita Family) 



Erect or climbing shrubs or trees, the leaves opposite, rarely alternate, 

 pinnate, 3-foliolate, or reduced to a single leaflet with a usually jointed 

 petiole. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, in cymes or panicles, or in 

 reduced racemes or clusters. Flowers perfect, regular. Calyx free, usually 

 4- or 6-toothed, teeth sometimes more numerous, or truncate. Corolla with 

 a shttrt or long tube, the lobes 4 to 9, spreading, sometimes free nearly 

 or quite to the base. Stamens 2, included, attached to H;he corolla. Ovary 



