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''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as the sapodilla (), is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion, where it is a subdominant plant species.〔World Wildlife Fund. eds. Mark McGinley, C.Michael Hogan & C. Cleveland. 2010. (''Petenes mangroves''. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC )〕 It was introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonization. It is grown in large quantities in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Mexico. The name "zapota" from the Spanish ''zapote'' (:θaˈpote) ultimately derives from the Nahuatl word ''tzapotl''. ==Description== Sapodilla can grow to more than tall with an average trunk diameter of . The average height of cultivated specimens, however, is usually between with a trunk diameter not exceeding .〔(''Manilkara zapota'' Sapotaceae (L.) van Royen ), Orwa C, Mutua A , Kindt R , Jamnadass R, Simons A. 2009. Agroforestree Database:a tree reference and selection guide version 4.0 (http://www.worldagroforestry.org/af/treedb/)〕 It is wind-resistant and the bark is rich in a white, gummy latex called chicle. The ornamental leaves are medium green and glossy. They are alternate, elliptic to ovate, long, with an entire margin. The white flowers are inconspicuous and bell-like, with a six-lobed corolla. An unripe fruit has a firm outer skin and when picked, releases white chicle from its stem. A fully ripened fruit has saggy skin and does not release chicle when picked. The fruit is a large berry, in diameter, ellipsoid, round. or compressed, containing two to five seeds. Inside, its flesh ranges from a pale yellow to an earthy brown color with a grainy texture akin to that of a well-ripened pear. The seeds are black and resemble beans, with a hook at one end that can catch in the throat if swallowed. The fruit has an exceptionally sweet, malty flavor. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch and contains high amounts of saponin, which has astringent properties similar to tannin, drying out the mouth. The trees can only survive in warm, typically tropical environments, dying easily if the temperature drops below freezing. From germination, the sapodilla tree will usually take anywhere from five to eight years to bear fruit. The sapodilla trees yield fruit twice a year, though flowering may continue year round. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Manilkara zapota」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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