Pouteria
Pouteria is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. The genus is widespread throughout the tropical Americas, with outlier species in Cameroon and Malesia. It includes the green sapote, the mamey sapote, and the abiu. Commonly, this genus is known as pouteria trees.
Pouteria is related to Manilkara, another genus that produces hard and heavy woods used commonly for tropical construction, as well as edible fruit.
Range
Pouteria, as currently delineated, has 170 species in the tropical Americas, from Mexico to northern Argentina and central Chile, including Florida and the Caribbean islands. Four species are found outside the Americas. Pouteria hexastemon is native to Cameroon in west-central Africa, and three species are native to Indonesia – Pouteria celebica to Sulawesi, Pouteria lucida to Maluku, and Pouteria oxyedra to Sumatra.Uses
Many species, such as Pouteria sapota, have edible fruits and are important foods, seasonally. Some are being commercially collected and sold on local markets or packed in cans.Pouteria species yield hard, heavy, resilient woods used as firewood and timber, but particularly in outdoor and naval construction, such as dock pilings, deckings, etc. Some species, such as abiu, are considered to be shipworm resistant, but this depends on the silica content, which may vary from 0.0-0.9%. The weight by volume of Pouteria wood can be in excess of 1140 kg/m3.
Due to habitat loss and in some cases overexploitation, many species of Pouteria are threatened. At least 10 are close to extinction.
Systematics and taxonomy
Pouteria is a "wastebasket taxon", and its size is continually being expanded or decreased. The segregated Labatia, described by Olof Swartz in 1788 and named after the French botanist Jean-Baptiste Labat, was maintained as a distinct entity until the 1930s, when it was synonymized with Pouteria. Most segregated genera that were merged with Pouteria again were established by Henri Ernest Baillon and Jean Baptiste Louis Pierre.Recent phylogenetic and morphological studies found Pouteria to be polyphyletic, and many genera previously subsumed into Pouteria and/or Chrysophyllum, including Achrouteria, Chloroluma, Cornuella, Englerella, Labatia, Lucuma, Martiusella, Nemaluma, Peteniodendron, Prieurella, and Ragala, have been reinstated.
Accepted species
Plants of the World Online currently accepts 170 species.Pouteria alvesii Alves-Araújo – Brazil Pouteria amapaensis – Brazil Pouteria amazonica – Brazil Pouteria ambelaniifolia – Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, and northern BrazilPouteria amygdalicarpa – Nicaragua to Venezuela and EcuadorPouteria amygdalina – southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Costa Rica Pouteria andarahiensis – Brazil Pouteria anteridata – VenezuelaPouteria arcuata – southeastern Colombia and Venezuela Pouteria areolatifolia – Guatemala Pouteria aristata – CubaPouteria atabapoensis – Venezuela and Brazil Pouteria atlantica – Brazil Pouteria aubrevillei – northern Brazil, French Guiana, Colombia, and PeruPouteria aurea – EcuadorPouteria austin-smithii – Costa Rica and PanamaPouteria baehniana – Venezuela to BoliviaPouteria bangii – northern South AmericaPouteria bapeba – Brazil Pouteria belizensis – Mexico to NicaraguaPouteria benai – French GuianaPouteria bilocularis – northern South AmericaPouteria bonneriana – Peru Pouteria bracteata – Nicaragua to western EcuadorPouteria brevensis – Brazil Pouteria brevipetiolata – EcuadorPouteria briocheoides – Mexico and GuatemalaPouteria buenaventurensis – Panama to EcuadorPouteria bullata – Brazil Pouteria butyrocarpa – Brazil Pouteria caimito - abiu – Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, northern South America, and Trinidad and TobagoPouteria calistophylla – Costa Rica and PanamaPouteria campanulata – Brazil Pouteria canaimaensis – Venezuela Pouteria cayennensis – southeastern Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, and northern BrazilPouteria celebica Erlee – SulawesiPouteria chiricana – Costa Rica and PanamaPouteria chocoensis – western ColombiaPouteria cicatricata – Brazil Pouteria cinnamomea – Peru Pouteria citriodora – Brazil Pouteria cladantha – tropical South AmericaPouteria coelomatica – Brazil Pouteria collina – Colombia and northern EcuadorPouteria condorensis – EcuadorPouteria cordiformis – EcuadorPouteria coriacea – Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, the Guianas, and northern BrazilPouteria crassiflora – Venezuela and Brazil Pouteria cubensis – Cuba Pouteria cuspidata – Costa Rica to Bolivia and southeastern BrazilPouteria decorticans – northwestern Venezuela, northern Brazil, and French GuianaPouteria decussata – Brazil Pouteria deliciosa – French Guiana, Colombia, and PeruPouteria dictyoneura Pouteria egregia – Colombia and northeastern BrazilPouteria elegans – Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, northern Brazil, Peru, and BoliviaPouteria engleri – Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern BrazilPouteria ephedrantha – southeast Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil Pouteria ericoides – Brazil Pouteria erythrochrysa – Brazil Pouteria espinae – ColombiaPouteria eugeniifolia – Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern BrazilPouteria euryphylla – PanamaPouteria exfoliata – Costa Rica and PanamaPouteria exstaminodia – Brazil Pouteria filiformis – Costa RicaPouteria fossicola – Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and PanamaPouteria foveolata – Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and PanamaPouteria fragrans – Paraguay and northeastern ArgentinaPouteria franciscana – northern and northeastern Bolivia, northern Brazil, and northeastern Brazil Pouteria freitasii – Brazil Pouteria fulva – Brazil Pouteria furcata – northeastern Brazil Pouteria gabrielensis – southeastern Colombia, Venezuela, and northern BrazilPouteria gallifructa – Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and Costa Rica; northeastern BrazilPouteria gardneri – Brazil, Bolivia, and ParaguayPouteria gigantea – EcuadorPouteria glauca – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, northern and northeastern Brazil, French Guiana, and SurinamePouteria glomerata – Mexico to northeastern ArgentinaPouteria gomphiifolia – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and northern BrazilPouteria gongrijpii – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, northern and northeastern Brazil, French Guiana, and SurinamePouteria gracilis – Peru Pouteria guianensis Aubl. – Panama, northern South America, and TrinidadPouteria hexastemon Baehni – CameroonPouteria hotteana – Haiti and Puerto RicoPouteria izabalensis – Mexico to Costa RicaPouteria juruana – Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern BrazilPouteria kaieteurensis – Guyana Pouteria krukovii – Colombia, Brazil, and Peru Pouteria latianthera – Venezuela and Brazil Pouteria leptopedicellata – Costa Rica to EcuadorPouteria longifolia – Peru and Bolivia Pouteria lucens – Brazil Pouteria lucida Baehni – MalukuPouteria lucumifolia – Colombia, Venezuela, northern Brazil, Ecuador, PeruPouteria macahensis – northeastern and eastern Brazil Pouteria macrocarpa – Colombia, northern Brazil, and southeastern BrazilPouteria macrophylla – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, northern, central, and eastern Brazil, Suriname and French GuianaPouteria maguirei – southeast Colombia, Venezuela, and northwestern BrazilPouteria mattogrossensis – Brazil Pouteria megaphylla – EcuadorPouteria melanopoda – Suriname and French GuianaPouteria micrantha – eastern Cuba Pouteria microstrigosa – eastern Brazil Pouteria minima – Venezuela and Brazil Pouteria mongaguensis – Brazil Pouteria nemorosa – eastern BoliviaPouteria nudipetala – southeastern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern BrazilPouteria oblanceolata – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, French Guiana, and northern and northeastern BrazilPouteria obscura – Brazil Pouteria opposita – Peru and northern BrazilPouteria orinocoensis – central and southern VenezuelaPouteria oxyedra Baehni – SumatraPouteria pachyphylla – northern Brazil Pouteria pallida – Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Trinidad and TobagoPouteria penicillata – GuyanPouteria pentamera – Brazil Pouteria peruviensis – Peru Pouteria pimichinensis – Colombia and Venezuela Pouteria pisquiensis – Peru Pouteria platyphylla – northern and west-central Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru Pouteria plicata – Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, and northern, northeastern, and west-central BrazilPouteria polycarpa – BoliviaPouteria polysepala – Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and northern BrazilPouteria procera – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, and northern and eastern BrazilPouteria puberula – Venezuela Pouteria pubescens – southeastern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern BrazilPouteria pullei – SurinamePouteria putamen-ovi – southern Colombia, northern Peru, and northern BrazilPouteria quicheana – GuatemalaPouteria ramiflora Radlk. – Brazil, Bolivia, and ParaguayPouteria resinosa – northern Brazil Pouteria reticulata – southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South AmericaPouteria retinervis – southeastern Colombia, northern Brazil, and French GuianaPouteria rhynchocarpa – southern Mexico Pouteria rigida – southern Venezuela, Guyana, and northern BrazilPouteria rigidopsis – northern and northeastern VenezuelaPouteria rostrata – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern and west-central BrazilPouteria rufotomentosa – Mexico and GuatemalaPouteria sagotiana – Guianas and northern Brazil Pouteria samborae – Brazil Pouteria sambuensis – PanamaPouteria sapota - mamey sapote – Mexico and Central AmericaPouteria scabritesta – EcuadorPouteria sclerocarpa – Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and PeruPouteria scrobiculata – Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and northern BrazilPouteria semecarpifolia – Leeward Islands and Windward IslandsPouteria sessilis – Peru Pouteria silvestris – Costa Rica, Colombia, and EcuadorPouteria simulans – Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and PeruPouteria singularis – Venezuela, northern Brazil, and French GuianaPouteria sipapoensis – Venezuela Pouteria spicata – Costa RicaPouteria squamosa – southern Mexico and GuatemalaPouteria stipitata – Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and northern Brazil Pouteria stylifera – northern Brazil Pouteria subrotata – Nicaragua to Venezuela and PeruPouteria subsessilifolia – northeastern Brazil Pouteria surumuensis – Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, northern Brazil, Peru, and BoliviaPouteria synsepala – northeastern Brazil Pouteria tarapotensis – Peru and western BoliviaPouteria tarumanensis – northern Brazil Pouteria tenuisepala – French Guiana and northern Brazil Pouteria torta Radlk. - Abiurana – southern Mexico to Bolivia, Paraguay, and southern BrazilPouteria trifida – northeastern Brazil Pouteria trilocularis – Costa Rica and Colombia, Venezuela, northern and west-central Brazil, Ecuador, and BoliviaPouteria triplarifolia – Costa Rica Pouteria tuberculata – southern Mexico to Peru and northern BrazilPouteria ucuqui – southeastern Colombia, Venezuela, and northern BrazilPouteria undulatifolia – west-central BrazilPouteria validinervis – EcuadorPouteria velutinicarpa – Brazil Pouteria vernicosa – southeastern Colombia, northern Brazil, and Peru Pouteria viridis Cronquist – southern Mexico to Costa RicaFormerly placed here
Aningeria adolfi-friederici Aningeria altissima Aningeria pseudoracemosa Chromolucuma congestifolia Chromolucuma flavilatex Chromolucuma stipulifera Chromolucuma williamii Englerella macrocarpa Englerophytum magalismontanum- Gayella valparadisaea Labatia beaurepairei Labatia ciliata Labatia confusa Labatia filipes Labatia fimbriata Labatia gardneriana Labatia lecythidicarpa Labatia nordestinensis Labatia pariry Labatia petiolata Labatia psammophila Labatia salicifolia Labatia sessiliflora Labatia subcaerulea Lucuma arguacoensium Lucuma bifera Lucuma brachyandra Lucuma campechiana - canistel, yellow sapoteLucuma capacifolia Lucuma dominigensis Lucuma grandiflora Lucuma grandis Lucuma kossmanniae Lucuma manaosensis Lucuma multiflora Lucuma oxypetala Lucuma pachycalyx Lucuma rodriguesiana Lucuma stenophylla Lucuma trigonosperma Lucuma venosa Micropholis laevigata Micropholis maxima Micropholis oppositifolia Nemaluma anomala Peteniodendron durlandii Peteniodendron jariense Peteniodendron pallens Peteniodendron virescens Pichonia daenikeri Planchonella australis Planchonella contermina Planchonella costata Planchonella eerwah Planchonella kaalaensis Planchonella myrsinoides
- Planchonella myrsinifolia subsp. howeana Planchonella maclayana Planchonella malaccensis Planchonella obovata Planchonella sandwicensis Pleioluma balansana Synsepalum dulcificum – miracle fruit
Synonyms
Due to the uncertainty regarding its actual content, the number of synonyms of Pouteria is massive. Plants of the World Online currently treats the following genera as synonyms.Barylucuma Ducke Caleatia Mart. ex Steud., pro syn.Caramuri Aubrév. & Pellegr. Chaetocarpus Schreb., nom. rej.Discoluma Baill. Eremoluma Baill. Franchetella Pierre Gomphiluma Baill. Guapeba Gomes Guapebeira Gomes Ichthyophora Baehni Krugella Pierre Leioluma Baill. Microluma Baill. Myrtiluma Baill. Neoxythece Aubrév. & Pellegr. Oxythece Miq., nom. illeg.Paralabatia Pierre Piresodendron Aubrév. ex Le Thomas Podoluma Baill. Prozetia Neck., opus utique oppr.Pseudocladia Pierre Pseudolabatia Aubrév. & Pellegr. Pseudoxythece Aubrév. Sandwithiodoxa Aubrév. & Pellegr. Urbanella PierreThe following genera are sometimes included in Pouteria. Their current treatment by Plants of the World Online is included here.Achradelpha O.F.Cook – synonym of ManilkaraAlbertisiella Pierre ex Aubrév. – synonym of PlanchonellaAningeria Aubrév. & Pellegr. – accepted genusBeauvisagea Pierre – synonym of PlanchonellaBeccariella Pierre – synonym of PleiolumaBeccarimnia Pierre ex Koord.Blabeia Baehni – synonym of PlanchonellaBoerlagella Cogn. - synonym of PlanchonellaBureavella Pierre – synonym of PlanchonellaCalocarpum Pierre – synonym of ManilkaraCalospermum Pierre – synonym of ManilkaraEglerodendron Aubrév. & Pellegr. – synonym of LabatiaEnglerella Pierre – accepted genusFontbrunea Pierre – synonym of PlanchonellaGayella Pierre – accepted genusHormogyne A.DC. – synonym of PlanchonellaIteiluma Baill. – synonym of PlanchonellaKrausella H.J.Lam – synonym of PlanchonellaLabatia Sw., nom. cons. – accepted genusLucuma Molina – accepted genusMalacantha Pierre – accepted genusNemaluma Baill. – accepted genusNeolabatia Aubrév., nom. illeg. – synonym of LabatiaPeteniodendron Lundell – accepted genusPeuceluma Baill. – synonym of PlanchonellaPlanchonella Pierre - accepted genusPleioluma Baehni – accepted genusPoissonella Pierre – synonym of PlanchonellaPyriluma Aubrév. – synonym of PlanchonellaRadlkoferella Pierre – synonym of LucumaRichardella Pierre – synonym of LucumaSersalisia R.Br. - accepted genusSiderocarpus Pierre – synonym of PlanchonellaSyzygiopsis Ducke – synonym of MicropholisVan-royena Aubrév. – accepted genusWoikoia BaehniWokoia Baehni – synonym of ''Pichonia''