FRUITS OF THE AMAZONIAN FOREST. PART II: SAPOTACEAE Marc G. M. VAN ROOSMALEN1, Olímpia Maria da Cruz Gomes GARCIA1 ABSTRACT — Descriptions and line drawings of fruits and seeds from 153 woody species of the family Sapotaceae occurring in Amazonia are presented, along with their preferred habitat, distribution, habit and seed dispersal. Key words: Amazonia; Sapotaceae; fruits; morphology; ecology; seed dispersal. Frutos da Floresta Amazônica. Parte II: Sapotaceae RESUMO — Descrições e desenhos de frutos e sementes de 153 espécies da família Sapotaceae na Amazônia Legal são apresentadas, com informações sobre o hábito, habitat, distribuição geográfica e dispersão de sementes de cada espécie. Palavras-chave: Amazônia; Sapotaceae; frutos; morfologia; ecologia; dispersão de sementes. INTRODUCTION Simple descriptions of leaves and inflo­ rescences are included which may add This is the second contribution to to identification of the fruits in the field. a series of articles in which we pretend to "describe and illustrate the fruits of METHODS all woody plants occurring in the The descriptions and drawings of Amazonian forest. The first article fruits and seeds are based on plant treating the fruits of the family material from various herbariums, Myristicaceae was published in De­ most importantly of the National In­ cember 1996 (Van Roosmalen et ah, stitute for Amazon Research (INPA), 1996). It is estimated that at least Manaus, Brazil, the University of 10,000 species of trees, shrubs, lianas, Utrecht, Holland, the University of twiners and hemi-epiphytes occur in Paramaribo, Suriname, and the collec­ lowland Amazonia, five times as many tion of fruits preserved, either dry or as have been included in the Field in spirit, FAAor glycerol, kept by the Guide to the Fruits of the Guianan first author at INPA. Flora (Van Roosmalen, 1985). With respect to the taxonomy, Each contribution contains de­ the authors follow the specialist on the tailed descriptions of fruits and seeds, Sapotaceae, Dr. T.D. Pennington, who and information on geographical dis­ revised the family in 1990. Descrip­ tribution, habit, preferred habitat, seed tions of leaves, inflorescences and dispersal and seed predation. More­ flowers are generally taken from his over, when data on zoochory and feed­ revision and from the Field Guide to ing habits are available, the animals the Fruits of the Guianan Flora (Van are mentioned which are involved in Roosmalen, 1985). seed dispersal, seed predation and For representative collections seedling browsing of the plant species. examined for these descriptions we 1 Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Araujo, 1756 - Aleixo, 69083 Manaus, AM. e-mail [email protected] refer to both authors mentioned here. ternate and distichous, sometimes op­ References for the collections used for posite or verticillate, simple, entire, illustrating the fruits and seeds are with large caducous stipules in all spe­ given in the legends of each plate. cies of Ecclinusa and Chromolucuma, The main collecting areas in the leaving an obvious scar. Inflorescences vicinity of Manaus were: Rio Tarumã- fasciculate, axillary, ramiflorous or Açú, the Anavilhanas Archipelago, cauliflorous, often being densely clus­ Marchantaria Island, the cattle ranches tered on twigs, branches or trunk, or where the WWF/Smithsonian/INPA occasionally several arranged along project is taking place (80 km north of short leafless axillary shoots; flowers Manaus), the Adolfo Ducke Forest bisexual or unisexual (the plant mono­ Reserve (AM-010, km 25), and the ecious or dioecious), small, regular, 3- Rio Cuieiras Nature Reserve (BR-174, 6(-7)-merous, the calyx with a single km 33-37). Among the more distant whorl of (4-)5(-6) free, imbricate se­ areas where fruits were collected, are: pals (as in most Pouteria spp.), or with Rio Tefé, Rio Juruá, Rio Urucu, Rio 6-12 spirally arranged sepals (as in Negro, Rio Jauaperi, Rio Cauaburi (Pico Pouteria section Aneulucuma), or da Neblina National Park), Rio biseriate, consisting of 2 whorls, each Abacaxis, Rio Maués-Açú, Rio Ma­ with (2-)3-4 sepals (as in Manilkara); deira, Rio Aripuanã, and Rio Uraricuera petals more or less connate, (Maracá Island). Illustrations of fruits cyathiform or shortly tubular, usually were made preferably from fresh mate­ with included stamens (as in most rial or from fruits collected fresh and Pouteria spp.), or with widely spread­ preserved in FAA, 70% ethanol, 10% ing lobes (rotate) and exserted stamens formol or 50% glycerol. (as in Pradosia); ovary superior, 1-15- locular with uniovulate loculi, but re­ Many hitherto unpublished data duced to 3,2 or 1 locule in many are included from fieldwork carried Pouteria spp. (Diploõn has 1 locule out by the first author on the ecology with 2 basal ovules); styles 1. Fruit a of primates and other vertebrates in berry with an undifferentiated en- Suriname (1976-1979), French Guiana docarp, or, as in Pradosia, a drupe (1983-1985) and Brazil (1987-). with a cartilaginous endocarp, glo­ All illustrations of fruits and bose, ovoid, obovoid, or ellipsoid, the seeds are drawn natural size (1:1). small-fruited species often with a soft For a glossary of botanical pericarp, the larger-fruited species of­ terms, please refer to the appendix ten with a leathery and hard pericarp, published in Van Roosmalen et al. with the innermost 1-3 mm surround­ (1996). For abbreviations, please refer ing the seed being a succulent sweet to the introduction of Van Roosmalen watery jelly, the fleshy part always etal. (1996). edible and sweet-tasting, the pericarp SAPOTACEAE A.L. de Jussieu indehiscent (only dehiscent in some Leaves spirally arranged, or al­ ChrysophyUum spp.); seeds 1-several, very distinctive, the family character­ {Alouatta), capuchin monkeys istic being the smooth shining brown {Cebus), titi monkeys {Callicebus), the testa contrasting with the conspicuous small seeds also dispersed by small pale rough scar (hilum) by which the monkeys such as night monkeys seed is attached to the rest of the fruit, {Aotus), squirrel monkeys {Saimiri), the seed shape, position of the scar, lion tamarins {Leontopithecus), tama- and extent of the scar provide useful rins {Saguinus and Callimico), mar­ taxonomic characters; many species mosets {Callithrix), and pygmy mar­ have strongly laterally compressed mosets {Cebuella), furthermore coatis seeds (e.g., Chrysophyllum spp., {Nasua), kinkajous {Potos), marsupi­ Manilkara spp.), or broadly ellipsoid als {Didelphis and Caluromys), fish seeds with a narrow or broad adaxial (some igapo and várzea species might scar (many Pouteria spp.), or broadly be dispersed by fish), tortoises ellipsoid, subglobose or obovoid seeds {Geochelone), and bats (only some with a small or large basal or basi-ven- soft skinned, sweet fruited species tral scar {Diploòn, some with a seed easily removed from the Chrysophyllum spp.). pericarp); predation of the immature Notes. Small to large trees, with seeds of almost all Sapotaceae is com­ a cylindrical bole (in all Manilkara mon in parakeets, parrots, and ma­ spp.) or fluted bole (as in many caws, and very common in pithecine Pouteria spp.), the base of the trunk monkeys, such as bearded sakis often buttressed, the bark rarely {Chiropotes), sakis {Pithecia), and smooth, often fissured or scaling, with uacaries {Cacajao), often leaving very white, rarely yellow, rather thick, few seeds to mature and to be dis­ sticky or at least milky latex in trunk, persed. branches and young fruit; pollination Chromolucuma Ducke by bats (as in Manilkara spp.), small bees and other insects (in Pouteria Leaves spirally arranged, stipules spp.), and flies and maybe larger ver­ present, large, leaving a conspicuous tebrates (such as Caluromys) in scar. Flowers unisexual, pedicellate; Pradosia spp.; seed dispersal, at least sepals 5. Fruit containing one seed, in the small-fruited species with a soft testa dull and rough, scar broad pericarp, by birds (cotingids, toucans, adaxial covering up to two thirds of guans) , and monkeys (the family is the seed. probably the most important food-sup­ Notes. Trees with yellow latex. plier for most of the 16 genera of Neo­ Distribution. Two species in tropical primates), the smaller and South America. larger seeds swallowed and Chromolucuma baehniana Monachino endochorically dispersed by spider Leaves sericeous below, with 13- monkeys {Ateies), woolly spider mon­ 26 pairs of secondary veins. Fascicles keys {Br achy teles), woolly monkeys 2-6-flowered, axillary and below the {Lagothrix), howling monkeys leaves; pedicels 0.5-0.9 cm long; flow- ers unisexual. Fruit velvety-chestnut comm.); periodically flooded forest when young. along riversides, and dry evergreen Notes. Tree to 30 m high, trunk forest over white sand. diameter to 70 cm, buttresses to 3 m Distribution. Brazil (Amazonas, high, bole fluted, with scaling Pará), Colombia, Venezuela reddishbrown bark; dry evergreen for­ (Amazonas). est over white sand, also along creeks. Chrysophyllum Linnaeus Distribution. Brazil (NW Leaves spirally arranged, or al­ Amazonas: Pico da Neblina National ternate and distichous. Inflorescences Park), Guyana, Venezuela axillary, ramiflorous or cauliflorous; (Amazonas). flowers unisexual or bisexual, fascicu­ Chromolucuma rubriflora Ducke late, rarely solitary, calyx a single abiurana-do-chavascal, abiurana- whorl of (4-)5(-6) sepals, sometimes grande-de-igapó, majá, sapota-brava (Β) accrescent in fruit. Fruit a 1- to many- Pl.l,fig.l seeded berry, sometimes dehiscent; Leaves glabrous, with 17-40 seeds laterally compressed, with a nar­ pairs of secondary veins. Fascicles row adaxial scar, sometimes extending many-flowered, below the leaves; around the base of the seed, or not lat­ pedicels 1.5-3.7 cm long; flowers uni­ erally compressed and then the scar sexual. Fruit broadly ellipsoid to ovoid, broader, basi-ventral or adaxial, testa 5.5 χ 4.5 cm, to 8 cm long, rounded at smooth and shining, or rough and then base and apex, smooth or rugose (when adherent to the pulp. immature dried strongly and irregularly Notes. Trees or shrubs. ribbed and furrowed), ferrugineous Distribution. Pantropical genus brown shortly velutinous, becoming with ca.