Pouteria | |
---|---|
Canistel (P. campechiana) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Sapotaceae |
Subfamily: | Chrysophylloideae |
Genus: | Pouteria Aubl.[1] |
Species | |
Many, see text | |
Synonyms | |
Many, see text |
Pouteria is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. The genus is widespread throughout the tropical Americas, with outlier species in Cameroon and Malesia.[2] It includes the canistel (P. campechiana), the mamey sapote (P. sapota), and the lucuma (P. lucuma). Commonly, this genus is known as pouteria trees, or in some cases, eggfruits.
Pouteria is related to Manilkara, another genus that produces hard and heavy woods (e.g. balatá, M. bidentata) used commonly for tropical construction, as well as edible fruit (such as sapodilla, M. zapota).