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Sapotaceae (from the old generic name Sapota, derived from a native name of Achras Sapota). Sapodilla Family. Fig. 48. Trees or shrubs; juice milky: leaves alternate, entire, coriaceous: flowers usually bisexual, axillary, regular; calyx mostly of separate sepals in two whorls of 2, 3, or 4, or in one whorl of 5; corolla gamopetalous; lobes as many as the sepals, or twice as many, in one or two series, imbricated, sometimes with appendages which simulate extra corolla-lobes; stamens as many as the lobes of the corolla and opposite them,
sometimes with intermediate staminodia, or twice as many, epipetalous; ovary superior, 4- to many-celled; ovules 1 in each cell, basal; style and stigma 1: fruit a berry.
There are 31 genera and about 400 species, of tropical distribution, rarely reaching the warm temperate zone. One species extends to Virginia and two to Illinois. This is a distinct family, distantly related to the Myrsinaceae, Ebenaceae, and Styracaceae.
The fruits of Lucuma mammosa (marmalade plum), and Achras Sapota (sapodilla), are very agreeable. Fruits of Illipe and Mimusops, both Asiatic, are edible. The oil from the seeds of the oriental Illipe butyracea and of other species is galam butter, and shea butter. It is used for food and soap. The wood of many species is very hard and valuable—so-called ironwoods. Several species of Palaquium of the East Indies yield gutta percha, as do other species of the family. Gum chicle is obtained from Achras Sapota. Star-Apple is Chrysophyllum Cainito. West Indian medlar is Mimusops Elengi.
Six to 10 genera are in cultivation in North America, mostly in the warmer parts: Mimusops, Lucuma (Marmalade Plum) and Sideroxylon are grown in southern California and Florida; Dichopsis or Palaquium (wrongly called Isonandra), the commercial gutta percha tree, is cultivated in the South. Bumelia and Chrysophyllum are ornamental, the former hardy to Massachusetts.
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