Typical reticulate pouteria
Pouteria reticulata

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree up to 40 m high. The trunk can be 50-100 cm across. It can have buttresses 2 m high. The bark is brown to pale grey. The veins that form a network are not raised on the upper leaf surface. The flowers are greenish-white to cream. They can have a sweet scent. The fruit stalk is 0.2-0.8 cm long. The fruit become orange, red, purple or black when ripe.

There are about 150-320 Pouteria species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in drier semi-deciduous forest. It can also be in lowland rainforest. It can be in humid mountain forest up to 1500 m altitude. It also occurs occasionally in forest which is sometimes flooded.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Abiu, Abiurana, Abiurana branca, Abiurana cascuda, Abiurana folha estreita, Abiurana-preta, Anumu, Bapeba, Caimitillo, Fruta de rato, Guapeva vermelha, Nisperito, Nispero zapote, Nopotapeste, Pe'su toa, Quina quina, Quinilla blanca, Tushmo amarillo, Zapotillo, Zapotillo negro

Synonyms

Chrysophyllum reticulatum Engler; Franchetella anibifolia (A.C. Smith) Aubreville; Franchetella reticulata (Engler) Aubreville; Franchetella unilocularis (J.D. Smith) Aubreville; Lucuma anibifolia A.C. Smith; Lucuma minutiflora F. Allemao; Pouteria anibifolia (A.C. Smith) Baehni; Pouteria cearensis Baehni; Pouteria hondurensis (Pittier) Baehni; Pouteria meyeri (Standley) Baehni; Pouteria unilocularis (J.D.Smith) Baehni; Sideroxylon hondurence Pittier; Sideroxylon meyeri Standley; Sideroxylon uniloculare J.D. Smith;