''Casimiroa'' is a
genus of flowering plants in the family
Rutaceae. It includes about 10 species native to
Mexico and
Central America. The genus is named for "an Otomi Indian, Casimiro Gómez, from the town of
Cardonal
Cardonal (Otomi: ʼMohai) is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordere ...
in Hidalgo, Mexico, who fought and died in Mexico's war of independence."
A general common name for plants of the genus is
sapote. Not all sapotes are members of this genus or even family, however; many sapotes are in the family
Sapotaceae, especially the genus ''
Pouteria'', and the
black sapote is part of the
Ebenaceae
The Ebenaceae are a family of flowering plants belonging to order Ericales. The family includes ebony and persimmon among about 768 species of trees and shrubs. It is distributed across the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world. It ...
.
Some species are cultivated. ''C. edulis'' (white sapote) produces edible fruit. It is also used as a shade tree in
coffee plantations, as an
ornamental Ornamental may refer to:
*Ornamental grass, a type of grass grown as a decoration
*Ornamental iron, mild steel that has been formed into decorative shapes, similar to wrought iron work
*Ornamental plant, a plant that is grown for its ornamental qua ...
, as an
herbal remedy
Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remedies ...
, and occasionally as
lumber. ''C. sapota'', which also produces edible fruit, is grown in Mexico, and ''C. tetrameria'' is also known in cultivation.
Species
''Casimiroa'' subordinate taxa.
Tropicos.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2613722
Zanthoxyloideae
Zanthoxyloideae genera