Sapote
Sapote (from Nahuatl tzapotl)[1] is a term for a soft, edible fruit. The word is incorporated into the common names of several unrelated fruit-bearing plants native to southern Mexico, Central America and northern parts of South America. It is also known in Caribbean English as soapapple.
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Type | Fruit |
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Region or state | Southern Mexico, Central America and northern parts of South America |
Sapotaceae
Some but not all sapotes come from the family Sapotaceae:
- Sapodilla, also called naseberry (Manilkara zapota) is native to Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Belize, and possibly El Salvador. The Sapotaceae were named after a synonym of this species.
- Yellow sapote (Pouteria campechiana) is native to Mexico and Central America.
- Mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) is from southern Mexico to northern South America.
- Green sapote (Pouteria viridis) is native to lowland southern Mexico.
Ebenaceae
Sapotes from the family Ebenaceae include:
- Black sapote (Diospyros nigra), from eastern Mexico south to Colombia, is probably the original Aztec tzapotl.
- Chapote (Diospyros texana) is native to the lower Rio Grande valley region in Texas and Mexico
Other sapote
- White sapote (Casimiroa edulis: Rutaceae) is native to northern and central Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala.[2]
- South American sapote (Quararibea cordata: Malvaceae) is native to the Amazon rainforests of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
- Sun sapote (Licania platypus: Chrysobalanaceae) is native to southern Mexico south to Colombia.
- Mamey Sapote (Pouteria sapota): Also known simply as mamey, this sapote has sweet, creamy, orange or salmon-colored flesh. It is often used in smoothies, desserts, and ice creams. Native to Central America and the northern parts of South America.
- Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota): Sapodilla has brown, grainy flesh with a sweet and grainy texture that tastes like a pear or brown sugar. It is native to Central America and is commonly eaten fresh.
- Canistel (Pouteria campechiana): Also called eggfruit due to its bright yellow flesh, which has a texture similar to a hard-boiled egg yolk. It has a sweet flavor and is often used in desserts and shakes. Native to Central America.
- Green Sapote (Pouteria viridis): his sapote has green flesh and a taste reminiscent of a blend of banana and pear. It is native to Central and South America and is often eaten fresh.
- Abiu (Pouteria caimito): Abiu has translucent, jelly-like flesh with a sweet, mild flavor. It is native to the Amazon rainforest and is typically consumed fresh.
- Chico Sapote (Manilkara zapota): Chico sapote has brown flesh with a sweet and malty flavor. It is native to Mexico and is commonly eaten fresh or used in desserts.[3]
References
- Watson, George (April 1938). "Nahuatl Words in American English". American Speech. 13 (2): 113–114. doi:10.2307/451954. JSTOR 451954.
- "Casimiroa edulis". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
- "When To Harvest Sapote: A Comprehensive Guide - Qooplants.com". 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
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