Notes on Guiana Sapotaceae

Notwithstanding the large amount of work spent by several botanists on this family, taxonomy does not appear very satisfactory, and a general agreement on generic limits has not yet been reached. The result has been a perplexing number of generic and sectional names. The present author apologizes for his adding to the number of interpretations. This study of American Sapotaceae, primarily undertaken in connection with the Flora of Surinam, could not have been completed without the generous loan of specimens by the herbaria at Brussels [B], Berlin—Dahlem [D], Kew [K], and Leyden [L]. In 1934 the author paid a short visit to the herbaria at Brussels [B] and at Paris [P]. The collections of this family at Paris are of special interest owing to the fact that they contain the material studied by Baillon, Pierre and Dubard, and bear numerous notes and analytical drawings, especially by Pierre, attached to the sheets. A number of British Guiana Sapotaceae from the Kew Herbarium was received for determination shortly afterwards. The author feels greatly indebted to the directors of the above mentioned Herbaria for their kind help, and particularly to Prof. Dr. A. Pulle, Utrecht, under whose direction this study was undertaken.