Chrysophyllum gonocarpum (Mart. & Eichler) Engl.
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Authority
Pennington, Terence D. 1990. Sapotaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 52: 1-750. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Sapotaceae
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Scientific Name
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Synonyms
Sapota gonocarpa Mart. & Eichler ex, Chrysophyllum cysneiri Allemão, Chrysophyllum cearaenses Allemão, Chrysophyllum obtusifolium Allemão, Chrysophyllum persicastrum Eichler, Chrysophyllum lucumifolium Griseb., Martiusella gonocarpa (Mart. & Eichler ex Miq.) Pierre, Sideroxylon reticulatum Britton, Chrysophyllum lucumifolium f. obtusata Chodat & Hassl., Sideroxylon bolivianum Rusby, Pouteria boliviana (Rusby) Baehni, Chloroluma gonocarpa (Mart. ex Eichler) Baill.
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Description
Species Description - Tree; young shoots sparsely appressed pubescent, soon glabrous, greyish brown, rough and cracked, with numerous small lenticels. Leaves spaced, spirally arranged, 5.8-20.2 × 1.3-6.8 cm, usually oblanceolate, less frequently oblong or narrowly elliptic, apex variable, from rounded to narrowly attenuate, base narrowly cuneate or attenuate or acute, chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, sparse whitish appressed indumentum on young leaves, soon glabrous; venation usually eucamptodromous, less frequently brochidodromous, often with a marginal vein, midrib sunken on the upper surface, secondary veins 11-15(-22) pairs, convergent, raised on both surfaces; intersecondaries moderately long, short or absent; tertiaries reticulate, but tending to be parallel with the secondaries. Petiole 0.6-1.7 cm long, slightly channelled, appressed pubescent to glabrous. Fascicles 1-5-flowered, axillary and in the axils of fallen leaves. Pedicel 1-2(-3) mm long, appressed puberulous. Flowers unisexual (plant dioecious). Sepals five, (1.5-)2-3(-4) mm long, broadly ovate or orbicular, apex obtuse or rounded, appressed puberulous outside, glabrous inside. Corolla 2.5-4 mm long, tube equalling or slightly exceeding the lobes, lobes five, ovate to lanceolate, apex acute or obtuse, glabrous. Stamens five, fixed halfway up the corolla tube or in the lower half; filaments 1.25-2 mm long, often geniculate, glabrous; anthers 0.9-1.25 mm long, lanceolate, apex acute or apiculate, glabrous, stamens absent in female flowers. Staminodes absent. Ovary ovoid, conical or short, broad and truncate, 4-5-locular, densely long strigose; style 1-1.75 mm long, glabrous; style-head simple or minutely lobed. Fruit 1.3-2.2 cm, broadly ellipsoid to globose, strongly constricted between the seeds, apex rounded or truncate, apiculate, base rounded, smooth, glabrous. Seeds 1-5, 1.2-1.4 cm long, laterally compressed, testa smooth, shining, 0.5-1.5 mm thick; scar adaxial, extending most of the length of the seed, ca. 1 mm wide; embryo with thin foliaceous cotyledons and long exserted radicle, surrounded by copious endosperm. Field characters. Tree to 25 m high and 60 cm diam., but often flowering as a small treelet 1-2 m high. Bark of mature specimen blackish-grey to dark brown, scaly, with white latex. The pale yellowish green leaf colour, so characteristic of dried herbarium material, is also notable in the field. Flowers green or yellowish green, fruit ripening yellow. Flowering throughout the range Sep to Dec, mature fruit May to Dec.
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Discussion
In Paraguay and Argentina the fruit which is used for making sweets is sold locally in the markets. It also provides an excellent timber, which is durable, takes a good polish and is resistent to insect attack (Meyer, 1947: 98).
Distribution and Ecology: From Ceara, Brazil, southwards to Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia, occuring in a wide variety of habitats. A component of wet lowland rainforest from Bahía to Parana, but also appearing in drier deciduous forest and gallery forest in Goias, Brazil and Argentina. Recorded from Araucaria forest in Paraná, Brazil (Hatschbach 15507). Present on the Andean foothills of NW Argentina and Bolivia, up to 1000 m altitude in deciduous montane forest.
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Common Names
Aguai, aguai bianco, aguaí-guazu, aguaí da serra, aguaja, bapeba, baulia de onca, bvoi’i, cutite branco, guatambu
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Distribution
Ceará Brazil South America| Brazil South America| Paraguay South America| Argentina South America| Uruguay South America| Bolivia South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|