Volume 11 > Part 4 > Year 2014 > Page 611 > Sapotaceae > Chrysophyllum

1. Chrysophyllum cainito L.wfo-0000854556

Sp. Pl.: 192. 1753; DC., Prodr. 8: 157. 1844; Merr., Enum. Phil. Flow. Pl. III, 3: 288, 1923; Lewis, Veg. Prod. Ceylon: 245. 1934; Vink, Blumea 9, 26. 1958; Worthington, Ceylon Trees: 303. 1959; Pennington, Gen. Sapot.: 224. 1991; Verdcourt & Meijer in Dassan., Fosberg & Clayton, Fl. Ceylon 9: 403. 1995; Chantar., Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 27: 140. 1999; Julaihi in Soepadmo, Saw & Chung, Tree Fl. Sabah & Sarawak 4: 210. 2002.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Tree to 8 m tall; branchlets terete, light brown to reddish brown sericeous. Leaves scattered; lamina chartaceous or subcoriaceous, broadly elliptic, obovate or oblong; 6–12 by 3.3–6.2 cm; apex obtusely acuminate, somewhat emarginate; base broadly cuneate, shortly decurrent; both surfaces reddish brown sericeous, very quickly glabrescent above, becoming glossy, turning dark reddish brown sericeous below, ultimately brown coloured; midrib grooved above, sparsely hairy, very prominent below, with sparse hairs; secondary veins 13–17 on each side; tertiary veins inconspicuous on both surfaces; petioles 8–20 mm long, grooved above, reddish brown sericeous or brownish. Inflorescence 5–20-flowered; pedicels angular, 5–10 mm long, reddish brown to brownish sericeous. Calyx lobes 5 (–6), more or less orbicular 1–1.2 by 1.1–1.3 mm. Corolla 2.5–3.6 mm long; tube 1.3–1.8 mm long; lobes 5 (–6), triangular or deltoid, 1.3–1.8 by 1.3–1.7 mm, sericeous along mid-line outside, glabrous inside. Stamens 5 (–6); filaments 0.3–0.4 mm long, deltoid; anthers ovoid, 0.6–0.8 mm long; connective filiform. Ovary 9–11-locular, reddish brown tomentose; style 0.3–0.4 mm long, glabrous; stigma 10-lobed. Fruits obovoid-globose, to 5.5 by 4 cm, glabrous.

Thailand : Cultivated throughout the country.

Distribution : Tropical America (West Indies – type), cultivated throughout the tropics.

Vernacular : Mak nam nom (หมากน้ำนม)(Northeastern); sata aeppoen (สตาร์แอปเปิ้ล)(Bangkok).

CommonName : Star apple

Uses: Ripe fruits edible.