The Sapotaceae are a family of flowering plants belonging to the order Ericales. The family includes approximately 800 species of evergreen trees and shrubs in about 65 genera (35–75, depending on generic definition). Their distribution is pantropical.
Many species produce edible fruits, or white blood-sap that is used to cleanse dirt, organically and manually, while others have other economic uses. Species noted for their edible fruits include Manilkara (sapodilla), Chrysophyllum cainito (star-apple or golden leaf tree), Gambeya africana and Gambeya albida (star-apple), and Pouteria (abiu, mamey sapote). Vitellaria paradoxa (shi in several languages of West Africa and karité in French; also anglicized as shea) is also the source of an oil-rich nut, the source of edible shea butter, which is the major lipid source for many African ethnic groups and is also used in traditional and Western cosmetics and medications. The "miracle fruit" Synsepalum dulcificum is also placed in the Sapotaceae.
Trees of the genus Palaquium (gutta-percha) produce an important latex with a wide variety of uses. The seeds of the tree Sideroxylon spinosum produce an edible oil, traditionally harvested in Morocco.
The family name is derived from zapote, a Mexican vernacular name for one of the plants (in turn derived from the Nahuatl ) and Latinised by Linnaeus as sapota, a name now treated as a synonym of Manilkara (also formerly known by the invalid name Achras).
Genera 73 genera are currently accepted:Sapotaceae Juss. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
Abebaia Achrouteria Amorphospermum Aningeria Aubregrinia Autranella Baillonella Bemangidia Breviea Burckella Capurodendron Chloroluma Chromolucuma Chrysophyllum Cornuella Delpydora Diploknema Diploon Donella Eberhardtia Ecclinusa Elaeoluma Englerella Englerophytum Gambeya Gayella Gluema Inhambanella Isonandra Labatia Labourdonnaisia Labramia Lecomtedoxa Letestua Lucuma Madhuca Magodendron Malacantha Manilkara Martiusella Micropholis Mimusops Nemaluma Neohemsleya Neolemonniera Niemeyera Northia Omphalocarpum Palaquium Payena Peteniodendron Pichonia Planchonella Pierre Pleioluma Pouteria Pradosia Prieurella Pycnandra Ragala Sahulia Sarcaulus Sarcosperma Sersalisia R.Br. Sideroxylon Spiniluma Synsepalum Tieghemella Tridesmostemon Tsebona Van-royena Aubrév. Vitellaria Vitellariopsis Xantolis
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