Morphological characterization of fruit, seed and functional morphology of Black-sapote (Diospyros ebenaster Retz.) seedlings

Abstract

Diospyros ebenaster, native to México and Central America, Ebenaceae family, is populary known as black-sapote. The fruits can be consumed freshly or as juice, as source of vitamin C. The objective of this work was to characterize the morphology of fruit, of seed and germinative process of this species. Fruits were characterized for color, texture, consistency and water content in the pericarp, dehiscence, weight, dimensions and constituent parts. For seeds it was considered: weight, color, texture and consistency of the coat, shape, presence and type of tissue and type of booking, color, shape and position of the embryo. The description of the seedlings was carried out from the primary root emission to the expansion of the first leaf and early demise of the cotyledons. The fruit is pulpous, undeiscent, bacoid type, polyspermic, round and flattened in the poles. The epicarp is plain, fine and greenish. The mean length of the fruits is 8.8 cm, the mean diameter 8.6 cm and the mass of 263 g. The seeds presents flat tegument and medium-brown color. The mass of 100 seeds is 100.6 g. The mean length of the seeds is 2.2 cm, with 1.3 cm of width. They have a white-transparent and oleaginous endosperm. The embryo is whitish and the germination is epigeal.