240px, '' Madhuca longifolia'' var. ''latifolia'' in Narsapur, Medak district, India The Sapotaceae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants belonging to the order (biology), order Ericales. The family includes about 800 species of evergreen trees and shrubs in around 65 genera (35-75, depending on generic definition). Their distribution is

pantropical A pantropical ("all tropics") distribution is one which covers Tropics, tropical regions of both hemispheres. Examples of species include caecilians, modern sirenians and the plant genera ''Acacia'' and ''Bacopa''. ''Neotropical'' is a zoogeogra ...

. 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 ''Manilkara'' is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae. They are widespread in tropical and semitropical locations, in Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Australia, and Latin America, as well as various islands in the Pacific and in the Caribbean. A ...

'' (

sapodilla ''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, naseberry, nispero or chicle, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the ...

), ''

Chrysophyllum cainito ''Chrysophyllum cainito'' is a tropical tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is native to the Isthmus of Panama, where it was domesticated. It has spread to the Greater Antilles and the West Indies and is now grown throughout the tropics, including ...

'' (star-apple or golden leaf tree), and ''

Pouteria ''Pouteria'' is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. The genus is widespread throughout the tropical regions of the world. It includes the canistel ('' P. campechiana''), the mamey sapote ('' P. sapota''), and the lu ...

'' ('' abiu,

canistel ''Pouteria campechiana'' (commonly known as the cupcake fruit, eggfruit, zapote amarillo or canistel) is an evergreen tree native to, and cultivated in, southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. It is cultivated in other countries, ...

, lúcuma'',

mamey sapote ''Pouteria sapota'', the mamey sapote, is a species of tree native to Mexico and Central America. The tree is also cultivated in the Caribbean. Its fruit is eaten in many Latin American countries. The fruit is made into foods such as milksh ...

). ''

Vitellaria paradoxa ''Vitellaria paradoxa'' (formerly ''Butyrospermum parkii''), commonly known as shea tree, shi tree (), or vitellaria, is a tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is the only species in the genus ''Vitellaria'',shea) is also the source of an oil-rich nut, the source of edible

shea butter Shea butter (, , or ; ) is a fat extracted from yellow the nut of the African shea tree (''Vitellaria paradoxa''). It is ivory in color when raw and commonly dyed yellow with borututu root or palm oil. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moi ...

, 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 ''Synsepalum dulcificum'' is a plant in the ''Sapotaceae'' family known for its berry that, when eaten, causes sour foods (such as lemons and limes) subsequently consumed to taste sweet. This effect is due to miraculin. Common names for this spe ...

'' is also placed in the Sapotaceae. Trees of the genus ''

Palaquium ''Palaquium'' is a genus of about 120 species of trees in the family Sapotaceae. Their range is from India across Southeast Asia, Malesia, Papuasia, and Australasia, to the western Pacific Islands. Description Within their range, ''Palaquium'' s ...

'' (

gutta-percha Gutta-percha is a tree of the genus ''Palaquium'' in the family Sapotaceae. The name also refers to the rigid, naturally biologically inert, resilient, electrically nonconductive, thermoplastic latex derived from the tree, particularly from ' ...

) produce an important

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

with a wide variety of uses. The seeds of the tree ''

Argania spinosa ''Argania'' (Tashelhit: ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵏ ''Argan'') is a genus of flowering plants containing the sole species ''Argania spinosa'', known as argan, a tree endemic to the calcareous semidesert Sous valley of southwestern Morocco and to the regi ...

'' produce an edible

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

, traditionally harvested in

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

. The family name is derived from ''

zapote Zapote the fifth district of the San José canton, in the San José province of Costa Rica. It is one of the administrative units surrounding San José downtown (officially composed of the districts of El Carmen, Merced, Hospital and Catedr ...

'', a Mexican vernacular name for one of the plants (in turn derived 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 Nahua peoples, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller ...

''tzapotl'') and Latinised by

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

as ''sapota'', a name now treated as a synonym of ''

'' (also formerly known by the invalid name ''Achras'').

Genera

*'' Amorphospermum'' * ''

Aningeria ''Pouteria'' is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. The genus is widespread throughout the tropical regions of the world. It includes the canistel ('' P. campechiana''), the mamey sapote ('' P. sapota''), and the lu ...

'' * ''

Argania ''Argania'' (Tashelhit: ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵏ ''Argan'') is a genus of flowering plants containing the sole species ''Argania spinosa'', known as argan, a tree endemic to the calcareous semidesert Sous valley of southwestern Morocco and to the regi ...

'' * ''

Aubregrinia ''Aubregrinia'' is a genus of plant in the family Sapotaceae first described as a genus in 1935. There is only one known species, ''Aubregrinia taiensis'' native to West Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast). The genus name of ''Aubregrinia'' is ...

'' * '' Aulandra'' * ''

Autranella ''Autranella'' is a genus of plant in family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1917. It contains only one recognized species, ''Autranella congolensis'' (also known as mukulungu), native to west-central Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Central ...

'' * ''

Baillonella ''Baillonella toxisperma'' (also called African pearwood, djave nut, or moabi) is a species of tree in the family Sapotaceae, and the only species in the genus ''Baillonella''. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Dem ...

'' * '' Boerlagella'' Cogn. (also incl. in ''Pouteria'') * '' Breviea'' * ''

Burckella ''Burckella'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae, described as a genus in 1890. It is named for the Dutch botanist William Burck. ''Burckella'' is native to New Guinea, the Indonesian province of Maluku, and the islands of Papuasia ...

'' * ''

Capurodendron ''Capurodendron'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae described by André Aubréville in 1962. The entire genus is endemic to Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan ...

'' * ''

Chromolucuma ''Chromolucuma'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae described in 1925. The genus is native to Central and South America.Pennington, T. D. 1990. Sapotaceae. Flora Neotropica, Monograph 52: 1–771. ;Species # '' Chromolucuma apiculat ...

'' * ''

Chrysophyllum ''Chrysophyllum'' is a group of trees in the Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. The genus is native to tropical regions throughout the world, with the greatest number of species in northern South America. One species, '' C. ol ...

'' * '' Delpydora'' * '' Diploknema'' * '' Diploon'' * '' Donella''The Plant List
/ref> * '' Eberhardtia'' * ''

Ecclinusa ''Ecclinusa'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1839. ''Ecclinusa'' is native to Panama and South America. ;Species # '' Ecclinusa atabapoensis'' (Aubrév.) T.D.Penn - Colombia, Venezuela ( Amazonas) # '' Ec ...

'' * '' Elaeoluma'' * ''

Englerophytum ''Englerophytum'' is a group of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1914. ''Englerophytum'' consists primarily of trees. Their leaves are leathery with dense appressed hairs on the undersides. The genus is widespread across t ...

'' * ''

Faucherea ''Faucherea'' is a group of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1920. The entire genus is endemic to Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, ...

'' * '' Gambeya'' * ''

Gluema ''Gluema'' is a genus of plant in family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1935. ''Gluema'' is native to tropical western and west-central Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in b ...

'' * ''

Inhambanella ''Inhambanella'' is a group of trees in the Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1915.Dubard, Marcel Marie Maurice. 1915. Annales du Musée Colonial de Marseille, sér. 3, 3: 43 The genus is native to Africa. ;Species #''Inhambanella guereensis' ...

'' * ''

Isonandra ''Isonandra'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae 240px, '' Madhuca longifolia'' var. ''latifolia'' in Narsapur, Medak district, India The Sapotaceae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants belonging to the order (biolog ...

'' * ''

Labourdonnaisia ''Labourdonnaisia'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae found in tropical Asia, described as a genus in 1841. ''Labourdonnaisia'' is native to certain islands in the Indian Ocean (Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion). The genus is named ...

'' * ''

Labramia ''Labramia'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1844. De Candolle initially named the genus ''Delastrea'', which is a homonym for an older fungus name by Tulasne, so De Candolle changed the name to ''Labramia'' ...

'' * '' Lecomtedoxa'' * ''

Letestua ''Letestua'' is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae, described as a genus in 1917. The genus name of ''Letestua'' is in honour of Georges Marie Patrice Charles Le Testu (1877–1967), who was a French colonial administrator in t ...

'' * '' Madhuca'' * ''

'' * '' Mastichodendron'' * ''

Micropholis ''Micropholis'' is group of trees in the family Sapotaceae, described as a genus in 1891. (2001): World Checklist of Sapotaceae &ndash''Micropholis'' The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2008-DEC-24. These trees ar ...

'' * ''

Mimusops ''Mimusops'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Sw ...

'' * ''

Neohemsleya ''Neohemsleya'' is a genus of plant in family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1991. There is only one known species, ''Neohemsleya usambarensis'', endemic to the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Rep ...

'' * ''

Neolemonniera ''Neolemonniera'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae first described as a genus in 1918.Heine, Hermann Heino. 1960. Kew Bulletin 14: 301 ''Neolemonniera'' is native to tropical western and west-central Africa. ;species # '' Neolemon ...

'' * ''

Nesoluma ''Sideroxylon'' is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. They are collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek words σιδηρος (''sideros''), meaning "iron", an ...

'' * '' Niemeyera'' * '' Northia seychellana'' * ''

Omphalocarpum ''Omphalocarpum'' (common name navel fruit) is a genus of plants belonging to the family Sapotaceae. It was first described in 1800 by Palisot de Beauvois. The genus is endemic to tropical Africa. The following species are recognised by Kew Ga ...

'' * ''

'' * '' Payena'' * ''

Pichonia ''Pichonia'' is a group of trees in the Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1890. ''Pichonia'' is native to New Caledonia, New Guinea and nearby Islands in Indonesia and Papuasia Papuasia is a Level 2 botanical region defined in the World ...

'' * ''

Planchonella ''Planchonella'' is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. Named in honour of Jules Émile Planchon, it contains around 100 mainly tropical species, two of which occur in South America and about 18 in Australasia. It w ...

'' Pierre * '' Pleioluma'' * ''

'' * ''

Pradosia ''Pradosia'' is a genus of plants in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1872.Liais, Emmanuel. 1872. Climats Geologies, Faune et Geographie Botanique du Bresil 614 Most of the species of ''Pradosia'' are native to Central and South Am ...

'' * ''

Pycnandra ''Pycnandra'' is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1876. it is the largest endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, co ...

'' * '' Sarcaulus'' * '' Sarcosperma'' * '' Sersalisia'' R.Br. (also incl. in ''Pouteria'') * ''

Sideroxylon ''Sideroxylon'' is a genus of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. They are collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek words σιδηρος (''sideros''), meaning "iron", and ...

'' * '' Spiniluma'' * '' Synsepalum'' * ''

Tieghemella ''Tieghemella'' is a genus of the plant family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1890. The wood of ''Tieghemella'' species is known as makore in the lumber trade. ''Tieghemella'' is native to western and central Africa. ;Species # ''Tieghemell ...

'' * ''

Tridesmostemon ''Tridesmostemon'' is a genus of the plant family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1905. ''Tridesmostemon'' is native to western and central Africa. ;Species # '' Tridesmostemon congoensis'' (A.Chev.) Aubrév. & Pellegr - Gabon # '' Tridesmos ...

'' * '' Tsebona'' * '' Van-royena'' Aubrév. (also incl. in ''Pouteria'') * ''

Vitellaria ''Vitellaria paradoxa'' (formerly ''Butyrospermum parkii''), commonly known as shea tree, shi tree (), or vitellaria, is a tree of the family Sapotaceae. It is the only species in the genus ''Vitellaria'',Vitellariopsis ''Vitellariopsis'' is a group of plants in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1915. The genus is native to eastern and southern Africa. ;species # '' Vitellariopsis cuneata'' (Engl.) Aubrév. - Usambara Mts in Tanzania # '' Vitellar ...

'' * '' Xantolis''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q158981 Ericales families