Sapotaceae

Sapodilla Family

By: George Rogers

A mostly tropical woody family of some 40 genera and 600 species (TOM), usually with rusty hairs on young organs. Sap milky. Leaves alternate, without stipules, usually more or less elliptic, often thick-textured. Flowers radially symmetrical; calyx in 2 series; corolla with the petals variably fused, often appendaged; stamens opposite the corolla lobes, sometimes with additional staminodia; ovary with 2 chambers, each of these with one seed. Fruit a berry, often edible.  The family contains many tropical fruit species, several of which are treated below. For additional information on the fruit species, see MOR, which is available on-line at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html. Native species include:

Satinleaf (Chrysophyllum oliviforme, treated in this Manual)

Wild Dilly (Manilkara jaimiqui, see treatment of Manilkara)

And several species of Sideroxylon (including Bumelia and Dipholis)

The so-called “Black Sapote” is Diospyros digyna Jacq. in the Ebenaceae. Clusiaceae may be confused with Sapotaceae (white sap, leathery leaves, fleshy edible fruits), but Clusiaceae have opposite (vs. alternate) leaves with distinctive closely spaced parallel veins, and larger flowers having many stamens (dozens vs. up to 12 stamens).

Key to Sapotaceae Important in South Florida Landscaping

1. Leaves undulate, terminal bud curved resembling a cat claw; ripe fruit orange and the size of an olive, native tree…Mastic (Sideroxylon foetidissimum)

1. Leaves not undulate, terminal bud not claw-like; fruits otherwise…2

2. Leaves golden-pubescent on the underside, native trees...Satinleaf (Chrysophyllum oliviforme)  (Consider also the exotic Star-Apple,  Chrysophyllum canaito with similar leaves and a purple fruit the size of a baseball revealing a star pattern internally when sliced.  Not treated in the present manual due to cold sensitivity, readers wishing more information can check http://www.quisqualis.com/09strapjoy.html)

2. Leaves not conspicuously and densely golden-pubescent beneath…3

3. Flowers ¼” across, purplish; fruit bright red…Miracle Fruit (Richardella dulcifica)

3. Flowers larger, usually white or nearly white; fruit variably colored (including infrequently red)…4

4. Fruit 3”-9” long, bullet-shaped…Mamey Sapote (Pouteria sapota)

4. Fruit usually smaller…5

5. Flowers silky; fruit egg-shaped, yellow-orange…Canistel (Pouteria campechiana)

5. Fruit usually spherical; flowers not silky-hairy…6

6A. Flowers urn-shaped; fruit brown…Sapodilla (Manilkara sapota)

6B. Flowers forming a star-shaped pattern; fruit red…Spanish-Cherry (Mimusops elengi)

6C. Flowers fringed; fruit yellow…”Mimusops” (Manilkara bidentata)

6D. Flowers with 4 thick leathery, lanceolate, unfringed petals…Mimusops coriacea