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''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, chicozapote, chicoo, chicle, naseberry, nispero, or
soapapple, among other names, is an evergreen tree native to southern Mexico and Central America. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán, in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion, where it is a subdominant plant species. It was introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonization. It is grown in large quantities in Mexico and in tropical Asia, including India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, as well as in the Caribbean.
The fruit is a large berry, in diameter. An unripe fruit has a firm outer skin and when picked, releases white latex (chicle) from its stem. A fully ripened fruit has saggy skin and does not release chicle when picked. Inside, its flesh ranges from a pale yellow to an earthy brown color with a grainy texture akin to that of a well-ripened pear. Each fruit contains one to six seeds. The seeds are hard, glossy, and black, resembling beans, with a hook at one end that can catch in the throat if swallowed.
The ripe fruit has an exceptionally sweet, malty flavor. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch and contains high amounts of saponin, which has astringent properties similar to tannin, drying out the mouth.
File:Manilkara-zapota-yucatan.jpg
File:Chikoo seeds.jpg
File:Manilkara zapota.jpg
File:Manilkara zapota - Nispero fruit and leaves 01.jpg
File:Manilkara zapota - Nispero fruit and leaves 04.jpg
File:Chikoo.JPG
File:Sapodilla fruit from Bangladesh.jpg
File:Sapodilla plant in Bangladesh.jpg
CRFG Publications: Sapodilla
{{Taxonbar, from=Q14959 zapota Flora of Mexico Flora of Belize Flora of Guatemala Crops originating from indigenous Americans Tropical fruit Saponaceous plants Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Common names
Most of the common names of ''Manilkara zapota'' like "sapodilla", "chiku", and "chicozapote" come from Spanish meaning "little sapote". Other common names in English include bully tree, soapapple tree, sawo, marmalade plum and dilly tree. Thespecific epithet
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
''zapota'' is from the Spanish , which ultimately derives from the Nahuatl
Nahuatl ( ; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahuas, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller popul ...
word '' tzapotl'' used for other similar looking fruits.
Description
left, Sapodilla tree Sapodilla trees can live up to one hundred years. It can grow to more than tall with a trunk diameter of up to ; but the average height of cultivated specimens is usually between with a trunk diameter not exceeding . It is wind-resistant and the bark is rich in a white, gummylatex
Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latices are found in nature, but synthetic latices are common as well.
In nature, latex is found as a wikt:milky, milky fluid, which is present in 10% of all floweri ...
called chicle. Its leaves are elliptic to ovate long with entire margins on long petioles; they are medium green and glossy with brown and slightly furry midribs. They are arranged alternately.
The trees can survive only in warm, typically tropical environments (although it has low tolerance to drought and heat in its early years), dying easily if the temperature drops below freezing. From germination, the sapodilla tree will usually take anywhere from five to eight years to bear fruit. The sapodilla trees yield fruit twice a year, though flowering may continue year round.
The white flowers are inconspicuous and bell-like, with a six-lobed corolla.
Fruit
The fruit is a large berry, in diameter. An unripe fruit has a firm outer skin and when picked, releases white latex (chicle) from its stem. A fully ripened fruit has saggy skin and does not release chicle when picked. Inside, its flesh ranges from a pale yellow to an earthy brown color with a grainy texture akin to that of a well-ripened pear. Each fruit contains one to six seeds. The seeds are hard, glossy, and black, resembling beans, with a hook at one end that can catch in the throat if swallowed.
The ripe fruit has an exceptionally sweet, malty flavor. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch and contains high amounts of saponin, which has astringent properties similar to tannin, drying out the mouth.
Biological studies
Compounds extracted from the leaves showed anti-diabetic, antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic ( cholesterol-lowering) effects in rats. Acetone extracts of the seeds exhibited '' in vitro'' antibacterial effects against strains of '' Pseudomonas oleovorans'' and '' Vibrio cholerae''.Synonyms
Synonyms of this species include:Uses
The fruit is edible and a favorite in the tropical Americas. Chicle from the bark is used to make chewing gum.See also
* SapoteReferences
External links
CRFG Publications: Sapodilla
{{Taxonbar, from=Q14959 zapota Flora of Mexico Flora of Belize Flora of Guatemala Crops originating from indigenous Americans Tropical fruit Saponaceous plants Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus