Manilkara zapota (L.) P.Royen
| Kannada Name : | Sapota |
| Common Name : | Sapota, chikoo tree |
| Family Name : | Sapotaceae |
| Scientific Name : | Manilkara zapota |
| Species Type : | Exotic |
| Phenology : | Evergreen |
| Conservation Status : | Not known |
| Flowering Period : | August - October |
| Fruiting Period : | January |
| Origin : | Mexico, Central America, Caribbean |
Uses
A leaf decoction is taken for fever, haemorrhage, wounds and ulcers. The bark is astringent, febrifuge and tonic. The fruit is eaten as a remedy for indigestion and diarrhoea. Seeds are antipyretic, and when ground with water they act as a diuretic. They are used to expel urinary and gall bladder stones. The pulverized roots are used to treat thrush in babies.
Description
Medium to large sized, deciduous tree, up to 30 m tall. Bark light grey to dark brown, fissured, inner bark pink, with sticky latex. Leaves clustered at tip of branches, simple, alternate, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, subcoriaceous, glabrous, brown-tomentose along midrib, base cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, margin sinuate. Inflorescences solitary flowers. Flowers bisexual, white or pale yellow. Fruit a berry, globose or ellipsoid, rough rusty brown, fleshy, sweet scented when ripe. Seeds 5-12, shining black, obovate.
