Chrysophyllum is a group of trees in the Sapotaceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. The genus is native to the tropical Americas, from Mexico to northern Argentina, including the Caribbean. One species, C. oliviforme, extends north to southern Florida.

Description

Chrysophyllum members are usually tropical trees, often growing rapidly to 10–20 m or more in height. The leaves are oval, 3–15 cm long, green above, densely golden pubescent below, from which the genus is named. The flowers are small (3–8 mm), purplish white and have a sweet fragrant smell; they are clustered several together, and are hermaphroditic (self fertile). The fruit is edible; round, usually purple skinned (sometimes greenish-white), often green around the calyx, with a star pattern in the pulp; the flattened seeds are light brown and hard. The fruit skin is chewy like gum, and contrary to some reports, is edible.

Species

Currently accepted species include: • # Chrysophyllum acreanum - Brazil (Acre, Amazonas) • # Chrysophyllum albipilum - Peru (San Martín) • # Chrysophyllum amazonicum - Amazon Basin • # Chrysophyllum arenarium - E Brazil • # Chrysophyllum argenteum - West Indies, Central America, N South America • # Chrysophyllum aulacocarpum - Miranda • # Chrysophyllum bicolor - Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands • # Chrysophyllum bombycinum - Loreto, Amazonas • # Chrysophyllum brenesii - Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama • # Chrysophyllum cainito - Belize, Jamaica, Cayman Is • # Chrysophyllum colombianum - Central America, NW South America • # Chrysophyllum contumacense - Peru • # Chrysophyllum cuneifolium - N South America • # Chrysophyllum durifructum - Amazonas • # Chrysophyllum euryphyllum - Colombia • # Chrysophyllum eximium - Suriname, N. Brazil • # Chrysophyllum flexuosum - Brazil • # Chrysophyllum gonocarpum - Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, N Argentina • # Chrysophyllum hirsutum - Panama, Costa Rica • # Chrysophyllum imperiale - E Brazil • # Chrysophyllum inornatum - S Brazil • # Chrysophyllum januariense - Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro • # Chrysophyllum lanatum - Colombia • # Chrysophyllum lancisepalum R.Lima – Brazil (Bahia, Espírito Santo) • # Chrysophyllum lucentifolium - Panama, Costa Rica, South America • # Chrysophyllum manabiense - Ecuador • # Chrysophyllum manaosense - N South America • # Chrysophyllum marginatum - South America • # Chrysophyllum mexicanum - Mexico, Central America • # Chrysophyllum moralesiananum Aguilar, D.Santam. & J.M.Chaves – Costa Rica • # Chrysophyllum oliviforme L. - Florida, West Indies • # Chrysophyllum ovale - Peru, Bolivia, Acre • # Chrysophyllum paranaense - São Paulo, Paraná • # Chrysophyllum parvulum - Colombia, Venezuela • # Chrysophyllum pauciflorum - Puerto Rico to Virgin Islands • # Chrysophyllum pomiferum - tropical South America • # Chrysophyllum prieurii - Panama, tropical South America • # Chrysophyllum pubipetalum Sossai & Alves-Araújo – Brazil (Espirito Santo) • # Chrysophyllum reitzianum – Santa Catarina • # Chrysophyllum revolutum - Peru • # Chrysophyllum rufum - E Brazil • # Chrysophyllum sanguinolentum - tropical South America • # Chrysophyllum scalare - Peru, Venezuela • # Chrysophyllum sierpense Aguilar, D.Santam. & J.M.Chaves – Costa Rica • # Chrysophyllum sparsiflorum - Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Bolivia • # Chrysophyllum splendens - E Brazil • # Chrysophyllum striatum - Panama • # Chrysophyllum subspinosum - Bahia • # Chrysophyllum superbum - Amazonas • # Chrysophyllum ucuquirana-branca - S Venezuela, N Brazil • # Chrysophyllum venezuelanense - tropical South America, Central America, Mexico • # Chrysophyllum viride - Brazil • # Chrysophyllum wilsonii - Amazonas