ECOGEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSEA SCHIEDEANA Nees. IN LOS TUXTLAS, VERACRUZ, MÉXICO

Abstract

The geographical and ecological distribution of chinene (Persea schiedeana Nees.) was studied in the region of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, México. This species is distributed mainly in Catemaco, Hueyapan de Ocampo, Mecayapan, San Andrés Tuxtla, Santiago Tuxtla, San Pedro Soteapan and Pajapan counties, at 18°10´-18°45´ LN and 94°42’-95°27’ LW. Chinene grow in luvisol, acrisol and feozem soils in warm climate were he natural vegetation was a perennial tropical forest. The chinene fruit in Los Tuxtlas varied in size and shape (claviform-curvate and ‘obovado’-narrow). Fruit pulp had total oil concentrations between 24.7 and 36 %. Oleic acid varied from 37.7 to 57%. Concentration values for palmitic, palmitoleic and linolenic acids were 34.3, 14.4, and 9.9 %, respectively. Skin colour after harvest showed a dark red-orange and green-yellow tones, while mesocarp varied from yellow to orange-yellow dark colours. The crude fiber varied from 18 to 32 %.