Micropholis is group of trees in the family Sapotaceae, described as a genus in 1891.[3][1][4]
These trees are native to tropical South America, Mesoamerica, and the West Indies.[2] Most are locally known as "cafetos", literally meaning "coffee plants". But while both Micropholis and the coffeeplant genus Coffea are asterids, the present genus is part of the Ericales – a quite basal asterid lineage –, while Coffea belongs to the more advanced Gentianales.
They are valued for their wood, which is used as timber, for construction and as firewood; many species are threatened by overexploitation and habitat destruction. Also, they are often used as part of catuaba, a decoction from various tree's bark claimed to have aphrodisiac and stimulant properties.
Caimitillo verde (M. garciniifolia) is an important food source of the nearly-extinct Puerto Rican amazon bird (Amazona vittata).
Micropholis is group of trees in the family Sapotaceae, described as a genus in 1891.
These trees are native to tropical South America, Mesoamerica, and the West Indies. Most are locally known as "cafetos", literally meaning "coffee plants". But while both Micropholis and the coffeeplant genus Coffea are asterids, the present genus is part of the Ericales – a quite basal asterid lineage –, while Coffea belongs to the more advanced Gentianales.
They are valued for their wood, which is used as timber, for construction and as firewood; many species are threatened by overexploitation and habitat destruction. Also, they are often used as part of catuaba, a decoction from various tree's bark claimed to have aphrodisiac and stimulant properties.
Caimitillo verde (M. garciniifolia) is an important food source of the nearly-extinct Puerto Rican amazon bird (Amazona vittata).
Species Micropholis acutangula - French Guiana, Amapá Micropholis brochidodroma - Ecuador, N Peru Micropholis casiquiarensis - Guyana, Venezuela (Amazonas), Brazil (Amazonas) Micropholis caudata - Brazil (Amazonas) Micropholis cayennensis - French Guiana, Amapá Micropholis compta - E Brazil Micropholis crassipedicellata - E + S Brazil Micropholis crotonoides - Costa Rica, Panama, St. Lucia, NW South America Micropholis cylindrocarpa - Brazil (Amazonas), Peru (Loreto) Micropholis egensis - Panama, N South America Micropholis emarginata - Bahia Micropholis garciniifolia - Puerto Rico Micropholis gardneriana - Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil Micropholis gnaphaloclados - Brazil, Bolivia Micropholis grandiflora - Brazil (Amazonas) Micropholis guyanensis - Costa Rica, Panama, West Indies, tropSouth America Micropholis humboldtiana - Venezuela, Brazil Micropholis longipedicellata - French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Amapá Micropholis macrophylla - Peru (Loreto) Micropholis madeirensis - Brazil (Amazonas), Peru (Loreto) Micropholis maguirei - Venezuela, Brazil Micropholis melinoniana - S Mexico, Central America, NW South America Micropholis mensalis - French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, N Brazil Micropholis obscura - French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Peru, N Brazil Micropholis polita - Cuba, Haiti Micropholis porphyrocarpa - French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, N Brazil Micropholis resinifera - Brazil (Amazonas) Micropholis retusa - Brazil (Amazonas) Micropholis rugosa - Jamaica Micropholis sanctae-rosae - French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, N Brazil Micropholis spectabilis - Bolívar Micropholis splendens - Venezuela, Brazil Micropholis submarginalis - Brazil (Amazonas) Micropholis suborbicularis - Venezuela Micropholis trunciflora - Peru, N Brazil Micropholis venamoensis - Bolívar Micropholis venulosa - Central + South America Micropholis williamii - Brazil (Amazonas, Pará)
