Sapotaceae- the gutta family
30th Aug.2022, Vadodara
Distinguishing features
The family is identified by the peculiar medifixed hairs, milky latex, many sepals, petals & stamens and
superior multilocular ovary containing a single ovule per locule.
Useful plants
A. General uses
1. Achras sapota Linn. is the source of the fruit Sapodilla.
2. Butyrospermum parkii Kotschy yields a fat from the seeds known as Shea butter
containing 40 % stearic acid. It is used for manufacture of chocolates and soaps. The latex
is the source of gutta-percha used for making chewing gum.
3. Madhuca: (Madhu = honey in Sanskrit, due to the sweet corolla)
M. indica Gmel. and M. longifolia Macb. seeds yield Mowra fat containing upto 50
% palmitic and stearic acids. This edible oil is converted to margarines. M. butyracea yield
Phulwara butter from seeds. The sweet flowers of Madhuca are used for the manufacture
of alcohol by fermenting the same to prepare a beverage mowdi.
4. Calocarpum: (Greek kallos = beautiful; carpum = fruit). The fruit of C. sapota Merr. is
Sapote, a very common nourishing fruit of Central America and West Indies.
5. Chrysophyllum: (Greek chrysos = gold, phyllum=leaves) The Star apple is the fruit of
C. cainito Linn. eaten in West Indies.
6 Lucuma nervosa A. DC. yields an edible fruit Canistel or egg-fruit very common in
North America, used for puddings & jam also.
7 Manilkara bidentata A. Chev. also yield an edible fruit. But this plant is better known as
the source of Balata, a non elastic rubber used as gutta-percha.
8 Palaquium: (Latin version of the Philippine name). P. gutta Burck. is the chief source of
Gutta percha
B. Biopesticides
1. Madhuca indica Gmel. (Bassia longifolia Koenig, B. latifolia Roxb.-Mawra)
Mahua is a large laticiferous tree, a native of India. Mahuda cake possesses
insecticidal and piscicidal properties. It is applied to lawns and golf greens, as the saponin
present in it has a specific action against earthworms.
C. Natural Dyes
1. Madhuca indica Gmel.
The bark contains 17% tannin and is used for dyeing and tanning.
2. Manilkara hexandra Dubard (Mimusops hexandra Roxb.- Khirin)
This is a medium sized evergreen tree with a spreading crown, a native of India. The
bark contains 10% tannin. The wood is red to light purplish brown with darker lines.
The bark of M. littoralis, found in Andaman, yields a red dye.
D. Biofuels
1. Madhuca indica Gmel.
The kernels yield 55-65% of a whitish yellow oil (Mowra fat) consisting of palmitic
(23%), stearic (20%), oleic (45%)and linoleic (10%) acids. In some samples myristic acid
replaces stearic acid. This fat can be easily converted to biodiesel.
Source:
Taxonomy: Evolution at Work. M. Daniel, (2009) Alpha Science International Ltd, Oxford, U. K. Pages 467, Indian Edition of this book is published byNarosa Publishers, New Delhi.
Mammen Daniel
