Sapotaceae

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The Sapotaceae are a family of flowering plants belonging to the order (biology)">order Ericales">family (biology)">family of flowering plants belonging to the order (biology)">order Ericales. The family includes about 800 species of evergreen trees and Shrub, shrubs in around 65 genera (35–75, depending on generic definition). Their distribution is Tropics, pantropical.

Many species produce edible fruits, or white blood-sap that is used to cleanse dirt, organically and manually, while others have other economic uses. Species noted for their edible fruits include '' Manilkara'' ( sapodilla), '' Chrysophyllum cainito'' (star-apple or golden leaf tree), '' Gambeya africana'' and '' Gambeya albida'' (star-apple), and '' Pouteria'' ('' abiu, canistel, lúcuma'', mamey sapote). '' Vitellaria paradoxa'' (''shi'' in several languages of West Africa and ''karité'' in French; also anglicized as shea) is also the source of an oil-rich nut, the source of edible shea butter, which is the major lipid source for many African ethnic groups and is also used in traditional and Western cosmetics and medications. The "miracle fruit" '' Synsepalum dulcificum'' is also placed in the Sapotaceae.

Trees of the genus '' Palaquium'' ( gutta-percha) produce an important latex with a wide variety of uses. The seeds of the tree '' Sideroxylon spinosum'' produce an edible oil, traditionally harvested in Morocco.

The family name is derived from '' zapote'', a Mexican vernacular name for one of the plants (in turn derived from the Nahuatl ''tzapotl'') and Latinised by Linnaeus as ''sapota'', a name now treated as a synonym of '' Manilkara'' (also formerly known by the invalid name ''Achras'').

Genera

74 genera are currently accepted:Sapotaceae Juss.
'' Plants of the World Online''. Retrieved 7 April 2025.

* '' Abebaia''
* '' Achrouteria''
* '' Amorphospermum''
* '' Aningeria''
* '' Aubregrinia''
* '' Aulandra''
* '' Autranella''
* '' Baillonella''
* '' Bemangidia''
* '' Breviea''
* '' Burckella''
* '' Capurodendron''
* '' Chloroluma''
* '' Chromolucuma''
* '' Chrysophyllum''
* '' Cornuella''
* '' Delpydora''
* '' Diploknema''
* '' Diploon''
* '' Donella''
* '' Eberhardtia''
* '' Ecclinusa''
* '' Elaeoluma''
* '' Englerella''
* '' Englerophytum''
* '' Gambeya''
* '' Gayella''
* '' Gluema''
* '' Inhambanella''
* '' Isonandra''
* '' Labatia''
* '' Labourdonnaisia''
* ''Labramia''
* ''Lecomtedoxa''
* '' Letestua''
* '' Lucuma''
* '' Madhuca''
* '' Magodendron''
* '' Malacantha''
* '' Manilkara''
* '' Martiusella''
* '' Micropholis''
* '' Mimusops''
* '' Nemaluma''
* '' Neohemsleya''
* '' Neolemonniera''
* '' Niemeyera''
* '' Northia''
* '' Omphalocarpum''
* '' Palaquium''
* '' Payena''
* '' Peteniodendron''
* '' Pichonia''
* '' Planchonella'' Pierre
* '' Pleioluma''
* '' Pouteria''
* '' Pradosia''
* '' Prieurella''
* '' Pycnandra''
* '' Ragala''
* '' Sahulia''
* '' Sarcaulus''
* '' Sarcosperma''
* '' Sersalisia'' R.Br.
* '' Sideroxylon''
* '' Spiniluma''
* '' Synsepalum''
* '' Tieghemella''
* '' Tridesmostemon''
* '' Tsebona''
* '' Van-royena'' Aubrév.
* '' Vitellaria''
* '' Vitellariopsis''
* '' Xantolis''

References

{{Authority control

Ericales families
Taxa described in 1789
Taxa named by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu