Chrysophyllum bicolor Poir.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Sapotaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Tree 6-15 m tall; bark light brown to gray, fissured; branches nearly cylindrical, densely covered with rusty - brown pubescence when young. Leaf blades 5-10.7 x 2-5.5 cm, elliptic or seldom oblong- elliptic, coriaceous, densely covered with appressed rusty brown hairs and prominent mid-vein underneath, the apex obtuse to shortly acuminate, the base obtuse, sometimes slightly unequal, the margins entire; petioles densely sericeous, 5-12 mm long. Flowers bisexual, 5-10 in axillary fasciciles; pedicels 4-6 mm long, rusty- brown pubescent. Calyx cup- shaped , 1.5 -1.7 mm long, the sepals 5, ovate -rounded, 0.5 - 0.9 mm long, rusty brown pubescent without; corolla cream-colored to white, bell-shaped 3.5 -4 mm long, the lobes 5 or 6, sparsely pubescent without, 1-1.5 mm long; stamens 5-6 , the filaments ca. 0.2mm long, the anthers ca. 0.7mm long; ovary ovoid, densely rusty-pubescent, 6-locular, the style subulate, crowned by 6 short, rounded lobes Berry 1-seeded, asymmetrically ellipsoid, 3-4 x 1 cm, turning from green to yellowish purple-tinged.
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Discussion
Note: this species was consiered by Pennington (1990) in his monography of Sapotaceae as a synonym of Chrysophyllum cainito L. However, the fruits are so strikingly different that I believe them to be two distinct species.
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Distribution
Rare, known from only a few individuals in moist secondary forests Adrian Ruins (A2028, A2900) Sieben (A2080) Also in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.
Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| West Indies| Puerto Rico South America|