Pouteria reticulata

Description

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.

Edible Uses

Many species, such as Pouteria sapota, have edible fruits and are important foods, seasonally. Some are being commercially collected and sold on local markets or packed in cans. Pouteria species yield hard, heavy, resilient woods used as firewood and timber, but particularly in outdoor and naval construction, such as dock pilings, deckings, etc. Some species, such as abiu (P. caimito), are considered to be shipworm resistant, but this depends on the silica content, which may vary from 0.0-0.9%. The weight by volume (at 12% moisture content) of Pouteria wood can be in excess of 1140 kg/m3 (71 lb/ft3; thus, the wood sinks in water. The wood of Pouteria species is prone to considerable movement and warping when it dries out, but in its main use, naval construction, this is not a problem, since the wood never gets really dry. The vessel elements are relatively small and usually di- to quadriseriate; the medullary rays are fine and close together. Pouteria woods are capable of attaining an excellent polish using fine-grained sandpaper and possibly some wax. They can sometimes show an attractive figure of dark stripes against a sandy to mid-brown background colour. However, the wood is hardly used for furniture because it is so dense that items made from it would be difficult to transport. Moreover, it is nearly impossible to work using hand tools. Even using power tools, working these woods presents some problems, as well, but given some patience and practical knowledge, these can easily be solved. For the silica to be effective against shipworms, it needs to dry to some degree to harden. When the wood is continually waterlogged, this process may take place very slowly or not at all, leaving the wood vulnerable. Pouteria foliage is used as food by some Lepidoptera caterpillars, including those of the dalcerid moth Dalcera abrasa, which has been recorded on P. ramiflora. The fruits are important food for various animals, such as the rock-haunting ringtail possum (Petropseudes dahli). Due to habitat loss and in some cases overexploitation, many species of Pouteria are threatened. At least 10 are close to extinction.

Distribution

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.

Where It Grows

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,

Notes

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

Synonyms

Also Known As

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

References (11)

• Bendezu, Y. F., 2018, Arboles nativos de lad Region Ucayali. Instituto Nacional de Innovacion Agraria. p 304
• Condit, R., et al, 2011, Trees of Panama and Costa Rica. Princeton Field Guides. p 440
• Daly, D. C., An Index of Common Names of Plants in Acre, Brazil. New York Botanical Garden Universidade Federal do Acre.
• Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.wdt.qc.ca)
• Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 529

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