Study of Family Sapotaceae

Systematic position/ Classifications:

Venation reticulate, 2 cotyledons                                        Class- Dicotyledons

Perianth with distinct petals & sepals, petals fused          Subclass- Gamopetalae

Stamens in 2/more series, epipetalous,                            

Ovary superior, carpels more than two                             Series- Heteromerae

Stamens as mane as petals, ovary with 2-many locules   Order- Ebenales

                                                                                                Family- Sapotaceae  

Distribution: Members of this family are distributed throughout the tropical countries with 600 species from 40 genera. In India this family is represented by 52 species and 10 genera. Common species are Achras sapota, Madhuca indica, Manilkara hexandra, Mimusops elengi, Sideroxylon tomentosum, Chrysophyllum cainito, Madhuca indica, etc. Most of them are economical important.

Salient features:

Plants shrubs or trees with milky latex in all plant parts. Young branches are rusty or tomentose. Stem with milky latex.

Leaves are simple, alternate or sub-opposite (Sacrosperma), entire at margin, coriaceous, leathery. Stipules are usually absent but spiny in Sideroxylon. Leaves are with milky latex.

Flowers are solitary or axillary in cymose clusters or in simple or compound panicle (Sacrosperma). Sometime cauliflory found in Madhuca & Dichopsis. Flowers are bisexual, Actinomorphic & hupogynous, bracteates. Trimerous in Palaquium & Manilkara; pentamerous in Sideroxylon.

Calyx- 4-8 sepals, some time in two whorls, free or sometime united at base. Sepals are in imbricate, in two whorls. Outer one is valvate & persistent.

Corolla- equal to number of sepals. Sometime 2-4 times than sepals, gamopetalous which form a rotate or urceolate or funnel shaped. Some time a spur or appendage is present in dorsal side. Petals are caduceus in Mimusops & Madhuca. In Mimusops a pair of appendages and the corolla appears like biseraite with 18-24 lobes.

Androecium- in 2-3 whorls of 4-5 each, epipetalous. In Madhica stamens are 2-3 times as many as corolla lobes set in 2-3 whorls. Some time outer stamens are reduced to staminodes as in Mimusops. Anthers are dithecous, dehising longitudinally with short filament.

Gynoecium- with 4-5 carpels, syncarpous, with 4-5 locualr ovary. Each locule with single, unitegmic, anatropous ovule. Placentation is axile. Style is one persistant.

Fruit- 1-8 seeded berry with laticiferous duct in inner pulp. Rarely one seeded, drupe like fruit. Seeds are exalbuminous, embryo with small radical & broad folaceous cotyledons.

Note- Pollination by insects. Fruits are dispersed by birds, animals or water current.

Floral formula:

Floral diagram:

Morphological peculiarities:

Plant body is latex bearing.

Young branches & leaves are tomentose.

Corolla biseriate, stamens in 2-3 whorls with dithecous anthers.

Ovary with axile placentation, style persistent.

Fruits 1-8 seeded berry with laticiferous sacs & axalbuminous seeds.

Economic importance & their uses-

Due to delicious fruits of Calocarpa sapota (Marmelade Plum), Chrysophyllum cainito, Vittelaria mammosa, Manilkara hexandra, Mimusops elengi are economically very important. 

Flowers of Madhuca indica for distilling alcohol and the seeds yield mahua butter (oil) which is use in cooking, laminating, to cure skin diseases & rheumatism.

Seeds of Madhuca butyracea produces vegetable butter which is useful as a cold cream & luminant.

Fruits of Achras sapota (Cikku/Sapodilla plum) is cultivated for edible fruits and the latex is used in making chewing gum.

Bakul plant-Mimusops elengi (Bakul) produces scented flowers. Timber is also produces from very hard wood of ‘Bakul’. The tannin from its wood is used for dying sails & fishing pickles.

Gutta Parcha- Palaquium gutta- yield milky latex which is a chief source ‘Gutta Purcha’ of commerce. This useful as insulator.

Many of them are cultivated for their ornamental foliage and scented flowers.

Present status, affinities, phylogeny & inter-relationship of Sapotaceae:

1.      The family Sapotaceae is closely allied to Ebenaceae and related to Strychaceae, Symplocaceae and Lissocarpaceae.

2.      According Hallier Sapotaceae placed as monotypic order Sapotales.

3.      Benthan & Hokker included it in order Ebenales which has been accepted by Hutchinson, Takhtajan & Cronquist.

4.      Thorne kept it under order Styricales.

5.      According to APG classification Sapotaceae placed in APG Group 4: Eudicots-Asterids in the order Ericales.