Manilkara chicle
(Pittier) Gilly
Sapotaceae
Achras calcicola Pittier
Achras chicle Pittier
Manilkara calcicola (Pittier) Gilly
Mopania calcicola (Pittier) Lundell
Mopania chicle (Pittier) Lundell
Common Name:
General Information
Manilkara chicle is an evergreen tree with a broad, spreading crown; it can grow up to 40 metres tall. The bole is up to 75cm in diameter[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
475- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 55
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, a taxonomic treatment of the Phytolaccaceae and part of the flora of Panama. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of wood. It also yields a useful latex from which chewing gum can be made, though it is inferior to the gum from Manilkara zapota and is generally only used as an adulterant of that species[
475- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 55
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, a taxonomic treatment of the Phytolaccaceae and part of the flora of Panama. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
475- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 55
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains, amongst other things, a taxonomic treatment of the Phytolaccaceae and part of the flora of Panama. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
S. America - Colombia; C. America - Panama to southern Mexico.
Habitat
Mixed forests, at elevations up to 1,100 metres[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 25.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. The globose to obovoid fruit is 35 - 40mm in diameter[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
The tree yields a considerable quantity of latex, which is said to be difficult to coagulate. Its gum is much used as an adulterant of chicle in the regions where both grow, or it is sold separately, under the name Crown gum. It is said to be soft and difficult to mold, therefore less satisfactory for chewing gum than the gum of Manilkara zapota[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
Chicle gum is obtained from oblique cuts or slashes made in the trunk of the tree during the rainy months. From these cuts there issues a milky latex which is coagulated by heat, and is then formed into solid blocks for export[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
The tree yields a considerable quantity of latex, which is said to be difficult to coagulate, but is used as an adulterant of sapote gum (Manilkara zapote). These uses are as follows:-
The gum is used in transmission belts, dental surgery, and as a substitute for gutta-percha, a coagulum of the latex of Palaquium spp[
303- Title
- World Agroforesty Centre
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.worldagroforestry.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
].
The heartwood is reddish-brown; it is distinctly demarcated from the yellowish or cream-coloured sapwood. It is used for railroad ties, house building, and other purposes[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
