A flora of Manila - Rainforestation

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A FLORA OF MANILA
1. DIOSPYROS Linnaeus
Trees or shrubs. Flowers dioecious, rarely polygamous, axillary, 4-
or 5-merous. Calyx usually deeply lobed, sometimes truncate, that of
the female flowers often larger than in the males, usually more or less
enlarged in fruit. Corolla tubular, salver-shaped or campanulate, shortly
or deeply lobed, the lobes imbricate. Male flowers with from 4 to 60
stamens, often 16, the filaments often paired or otherwise united; anthers
linear; ovary rudimentary. Female flowers with to 16 staminodes; ovary
4- to 10-celled, cells 1-, rarely 2-ovuled; styles or stigmas 1 to 4. Fruit
globose to ovoid, fleshy, often large, frequently supported by the much enlarged
calyx. Seeds oblong to ellipsoid, usually compressed. (Greek "zeus,"'
i. e. God, and "grain.")
Species over 200, in the tropics of both hemispheres, few in some temperate
countries, about 38 in the Philippines.
Leaves glabrous; fruit green, glabrous „ 1. Z>. ebenaster
Leaves softly pale-pubescent beneath; fruit brown, densely pubescent.
2. D. discolor
*1. D. EBENASTER Retz. Sapote negro (Sp.-Fil.).
A glabrous tree 7 to 15 m high. Leaves oblong to elliptic-oblong, 10
to 20 cm long, obtuse. Flowers axillary, solitary, greenish-white, 1 to 1.5
cm long, the calyx-lobes broad. Fruit globose, smooth, green, becoming
nearly black, edible, about 10 cm in diameter, the pulp very soft, brownish;
seeds usually 4, about 2 cm long. (Fl. Filip. pi. 372, D. nigra.)
Rarely cultivated, flowering in March; of local occurrence in the Philippines.
Introduced from Mexico at an early date, and apparently formerly
much more common here than now.
2. D. discolor Willd. Camagon, Mabolo (Tag.) ; Amaga (Vis.) ; Talang
(Pamp.).
A tree 8 to 15 m high. Leaves oblong, 10 to 25 cm long, coriaceous,
acute or shortly acuminate, base usually rounded, the upper surface -^reen,
shining, glabrous, the lower surface softly pubescent with appressed, pale
hairs. Flowers 4-merous. Male flowers pubescent, in short-peduncled, con-
gested, about 7-flowered cymes. Calyx about 1 cm long. Corolla slightly
larger than the calyx, nearly white, the tube cylindric, slightly contracted
above, the lobes nearly as long as the tube. Stamens about 24, the filaments
united in pairs. Female flowers axillary, solitary, sessile, slightly larger
than the males. Staminodes usually 4. Styles 4. Fruit large, globose,
fleshy, up 10 cm in diameter, edible, densely covered with brown hairs. (Fl.
Filip, pi. 109.)
Common, fl. Feb.-Apr.; widely distributed in the Philippines, indigenous;
cultivated in other tropical countries.
112. OLEACEAE (Olive OR Sampaguita Family)
Erect or climbing shrubs or trees, the leaves opposite, rarely alternate,
pinnate, 3-foliolate, or reduced to a single leaflet with a usually jointed
petiole. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, in cymes or panicles, or in
reduced racemes or clusters. Flowers perfect, regular. Calyx free, usually
4- or 5-toothed, teeth sometimes more numerous, or truncate. Corolla with
a short or long tube, the lobes 4 to 9, spreading, sometimes free nearly
or quite to the base. Stamens 2, included, attached to the corolla. Ovary