TROPICAL FRUITS AND THEIR INDIGENOUS RELATIVES IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA1

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1 Table 3. Projections on-tree lime prices and other key economic variables, through Season, Variable, units Predicted value ,692 1, ,793 1, ,956 1, Confidence interval^ Low ,439 1, ,511 1, ,646 1, High ,945 1, ,076 1, ,266 1, ^Confidence limits for prices are calculated at the 90 percent probability level. Other variables except for population were estimated at the 95 percent probability level using subjective variances. Population has been increasing at a stable rate, therefore, estimates are assumed accurate. For predicted values, per capita income and the Consumer Price Index were assumed to increase at 9 and 8 percent per year respectively. The price projections for the through season were made with this model, using estimates for Florida lime production developed above and estimates of the other variables contained in the model. PCDPI and the CPI were assumed to increase at 9 and 8 percent per year respectively. Population has been increasing at a stable rate, thus, estimates made by the Bureau of the Census for the next three years are presumed accurate. In the season, Florida lime production is expected to be approximately 1.7 million bushels, PCDPI about $1,443, U.S. population million persons, and the CPI about The resulting predicted on-tree price is $6.68 per bushel (Table 3). The forecasting reliability of all independent variables (except for population which was assumed to be accurate) was determined by using subjective variances [4]. Confidence limits were then calculated for projected on-tree prices at the 90 percent probability level. For , the 90 percent confidence interval for ontree lime prices is $4.81 to $8.54 per bushel (Table 3). The average price for the season is expected to be about $7.24 per bushel, with 90 percent probability that it will be between $5.08 and $9.40. The season on-tree price is projected at $7.73 per bushel, with a confidence interval of $5.25 to $10.20 per bushel. In conclusion, it appears that on-tree prices will increase during the next several years. However, if the present rate of inflation persists, real on-tree prices may change very little. Literature Cited 1. Brooks, Powell "Citrus in General and Limes" travel notes taken on Cuban Agricultural Tour, November, Degner, Robert L., J. Scott Shonkwiler, and Gervasio J. Cubenas Economic Outlook for Lime Production in Florida. Staff Re port No. 8. Florida Agricultural Market Research Center, Food and Resource Economics Department, IF AS, Gainesville, Florida. 3. Federal-State Market News Service (USDA-AMS and Florida De partment of Agriculture and Consumer Services). Marketing Florida Sub-Tropical Fruits and Vegetables, Summaries, through Feldstein, Martin S. January "The Error of Forecast in Econometric Models when the Forecast-Period Exogenous Variables are Stochastic', Econometrica, p.p Florida Crop and Livestock Reporting Service Citrus Summary Florida Specialty Crops, Bade County Fruit Acre age. October Florida Speciality Crops: October 20. Tropical Fruit Acreage, Florida Speciality Crops: Tropical Fruit Acreage September 1. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 92: TROPICAL FRUITS AND THEIR INDIGENOUS RELATIVES IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA1 Mary Ann H. Ogden Fruit Crops Department, IFA$, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Carl W. Campbell Agricultural Research and Educational Center, IF AS, University of Florida, Homestead, FL here have relatives among our native flora. Detailed knowledge of their relationships would benefit the search for additional germplasm to use as scions or in breeding with indigenous relatives. The families Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae and Annonaceae contain particularly good possibilities for use in breeding programs. Research could then be directed toward developing plant materials more ecologically suited to our soils and climatic regime. Additional index words, native plants, propagation. Abstract. South Florida has had many tropical and sub tropical horticultural crops introduced from around the world, with varying degrees of success. Most exotic fruits grown iflorida Agricultural Experiment Stations Journal Series No This work was sponsored in part by the Rare Fruit Council Inter national, Inc. Sam Mauro Fellowship. 294 The vegetation of southern Florida, an area south of 26 N latitude, is relatively recent when compared to the rest of the Southeastern United States. The lower peninsula has had many changes floristically, primarily following periods of glaciation (8, 5). After the most recent climatic alteration 5,000 years ago, the native flora is now represented by 1,647 species of vascular plants from 177 families (8, 9). The entire state of Florida has about 3,000 species of in digenous plants (8). Proc. Fla. State Hort, Soc. 92: 1979.

2 Table 1. Summary of some of the South Florida native plants and their cultivated relatives. Trees and Shrubs NATIVES EXOTIC ANACARDIACEAE Metopium toxiferumy (L.) Krug and Urban, Poison Wood Toxicodendron radicansy (L.) Kuntz. Poison Ivy. ANNONACEAE Annona glabra L. Pond Apple Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal. Pawpaw ARECACEAE (PALMAE) Pseudophoenix sargentii H. Wendl. ex. Sarg. Buccaneer or Sugar Palm Sabal palmetto (Walt.) Lodd and Schult. Cabbage Palm Serenoa repens (Bartr.) Small. Saw Palmetto CHRYSOBALANACEAE (ROSACEAE) Chrysobalanus icaco L. Cocoplum Licania michauxii Prance. Gopher Apple EBENACEAE Diospyros virginiana L. Persimmon EUPHORBIACEAE Gymnanthes lucida Sw. Crabwood Hippomane mancinella L. Bull Manchineel FABACEAE (LEGUMINOSAE) Lysiloma latisiliqua (L.) Behth. Wild Tamarind Piscidia piscipula L. Jamaica Dogwood HYPERICACEAE = GUTTIFERAE Hypericum spp. (11) St. John's Wort Clusia rosea Jacq. (questionable native) Monkey Apple LAURACEAE Licaria triandra (Sw.) Kosterm. Gulf Licaria Nectandra coriacea (Sw.) Griseb. Lancewood Persea borbonia (L.) K. Spring. Red Bay MALVACEAE-14 genera Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx. Swamp Hibiscus Kosteletzkya virginica (L.) Presl ex. A. Gray. Mallow MALPIGHIACEAE Byrsonima lucida (Turcz.) P. Wilson. Locust Berry MORACEAE Ficus aurea Nutt. Strangler Fig F. citrifolia Mill. Short Leaf Fig MYRTACEAE Calyptranthes spp. (2) C. pallens Griseb. Spicewood C. zuzgium (L.) SW. Myrtle-of-the-River Eugenia spp. (8) Stoppers. E. axillaris (Sw.) Willd. White Stopper E. confusa D.C. Redberry Stopper Myrcianthes fragrans (Sw.) McVaugh. Simpson's Stopper Psidium longipes (O. Berg) McVaugh. Trailing Eugenia OXALIDACEAE Oxalis spp. (8). Sour Grasses POLYGONACEAE Coccoloba diversifolia Jacq. Pigeon Plum C. uvifera (L.) L. Sea Grape ROSACEAE Prunus geniculata Harper. Hog Plum P. myrtifolia L. West Indian Cherry Rubus cuneifolius Pursh. Sand Blackberry Rubus trivialis Michx. Southern Dewberry Anacardium occidentale. L. Cashew Mangifera indica. L. Mango Pleiogynium (timorense) cerasiferum Parker. Burdekin Plum. Schinus terebinlhifolius^>y Radii. Brazilian Pepper Annona diversifolia Saff. llama A. montana Macfady. Mountain Soursop A. muricata L. Soursop, Guanabana A. squamosa L. Sugar Apple, Sweetsop A. squamosa L. x A. cherimola Mill. Atemoya Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merrill. Sugar Palm Cocos nucifera L. Coconut Palm Phoenix dactylifera L. Date Palm Licania platypus (Hemsl.) Fritsch. Sunsapote Diospyros discolor Willd. Velvet Apple D. digyna Jacq. Black Sapote D. kaki L. f. Japanese Persimmon Aleurites moluccanay (L.) Willd. Candle Nut Antidesma bunius (L.) K. Spreng. Bignay Bischofia javanica*,y (Blume.) Willd. ex. Klotz. Bishopwood Euphorbia pulcherrimay Willd. Poinsettia Manihot esculenta Crantx. Cassava Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels. Otaheite Gooseberry Ricinus comminus^,y L. Castor Bean Ceratonia siliqua L. Carob Tamarindus indica L. Tamarind Garcinia livingstonei L. Imbe G. mangostana L. Mangosteen Mammea americana L. Mammey Apple Persea americana C. F. Gaetn. Avocado Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. Okra Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Roselle H. tilicaeus L. Mahoe Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) HBK. Nance Malpighia glabra L. Bardados Cherry Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Jackfruit Cecropia peltata L. Cercropia Eugenia uniflora L. Surinam Cherry Melaleuca quinquenervia (Corv.) S. T. Blake. Cajaput Myrciaria cauliflora O. Berg. Jaboticaba Pimenta dioica (L.) Mers. Allspice Psidium guajava L. Guava Suzygium cumini (L.) Skeels. Jambolan Plum S. jambos (L.) Alston. Rose Apple Averrhoa carambola L. Star Apple A. blimbil. Pickle Fruit Coccoloba pubescens L. Fagopyrum esculentum L. Moench. Buckwheat Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. Loquat Prunus persica (L.) Batsk. Ceylon Peach Rubus (albescens) niveus Thumb. Mysore Raspberry 295

3 Table 1. (cont.). RHAMNACEAE Krugiodendeon ferreum Reynosia septentrionalis NATIVES (Vahl) Urban. Black Ironwood. (Urban. Darling Plum EXOTICS Zizyphus jujuba Mill. Chinese Jujube Z. mauritiana Lam. Indian Jujube RUBIACEAE Psychotria spp. (3) Wild Coffee Casasia clusiifolia (Jacq.) Urban. Seven Year Apple RUTACEAE A myris spp. (2) Torch wood Zanthoxylum spp. (4) Wild Lime SAPINDACEAE Cupania glabra Sw. Sea Pork Dondonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. Varnish Leaf Exothea paniculata (Juss.) Radek. Ink Wood Sapindus saponaria L. Soapberry SAPOTACEAE Bumelia celestrina HBK. Saffron Plum Dipholus (bumelia) salicifolia (L.) Bustic Chrysophylum oliviforme L. Satin Leaf Manilkara bahamense (Baker) Lam and Meeuse. Wild Dilly Mastichodendron - foetidissimum (Jacq.) Crong. Mastic SOLANACEAE Physalis spp. (5) Husk Tomatos Solarium spp. (9) Nightshades S. (erianthum) verbascifolium D. Don. Potato Tree Epiphytes and Vines BROMELIACEAE Tillandsia spp. (1)) Bromelaids ORCHIDACEAE Vanilla barbellata Rchb. P. Worm Vine PASSIFLORACEAE Passiflora spp. (8) Wild Passion Flowers P. incarnata L. Maypop P. suberosa L. Corky-Stemmed Passion Flower PIPERACEAE Peperomia spp. (6) Peperomias (several in cultivation) VITACEAE Vitis spp. (4) Wild Grapes V. (smallianii) shuttleworthii House. Calusa Grape V. rotundijolia Michx. Muscadine Grape Coffea arabica L. Domestic Coffee Aegele marmelos (L.) Correa. Bael fruit. Casimiroa edulis Liave. White Sapote Citrus spp. Oranges, Grapefruit, Limes C. aurantifolia (Chrustm.) Swingle. Key Lime, naturalized C. aurantium L. Seville Orange, naturalized Clausena lansium (Lour.) Wampi Blighia sapiday K. Konig. Akee Euphoria longana (Lour.) Steud. Longan Melicoccus bijugus Jacq. Spanish Lime Litchi chinensis Sonn. Lychee Calocarpum sapota (Jacq.) Merr. Mamey Sapote Chrysophyllums cainito L. Satr Apple Manilkara zapoda (L.) Van Royen. Sapodilla Mimusops spp. Pouterea campechiana (HBK) Baehni. Canistel P. caimito Radlk. Aibu Lycopersicon lycopersicon (L.) Karst ex. Faru. Tomato Physalis alkekengi L. Strawberry Tomato Solanum quitoense Lam. Naranjilla S. tuberosum L. White Potato Ananas comosus (L.) Merrell. Pineapple Vanilla planifolia Andr. Commercial Vanilla Passiflora cincinnata Mast. Crato Passion Vine P. coreacea Juss. Bat-Winged Passion Flower P. edulis Sims. Purple Passion Flower P. edulis Sims. var. flavacarpa. Yellow Passion Flower P. quandr angular is L. Giant Granadilla Piper nigrum L. Black Pepper Vitis labrusca L. Fox Grape V. vinifera L. European Grape zinvasion problems. FToxic or allergin. The climate of southern Florida is subtropical with an average January mean temperature range of C (64-76 F) and July mean temperature of C (76-88 F). Average annual rainfall is cm (40-60 in.) on the mainland and is approximately 61 cm (24 in.) on the Florida Keys (15). The mild winters along with the 6-6 rainfall regime consequently make it suitable for a mixture of tropical, subtropical and temperate plants. Sixty-one percent of the vegetation has tropical affinities with the majority of the tropicals being herbaceous, a contrast to the true tropics where most species are woody. The 4 main sources of vegetation are Caribbean tropical flora, eastern United States coastal plain flora, Florida endemics and exotics (8, 9). In the past 5,000 years the composition of the flora has changed markedly from the dominant oak forests throughout the peninsula (8). As the climate gradually warmed up during the present interglacial period, the oak forests were succeeded by a diverse mixture of hardwoods and pines (8, 9). 296 Dissemination of the colonizing plants was aided by wind, water and animals (3). Animals, particularly migrat ing birds and man, have had a great deal of influence on their expansion. The pre-columbian cultures dating from 2,000 years ago had some influence on the location of plants, particularly around Indian mounds. When modern man came into the area about 400 years ago, the introduc tion of cultivated plants increased markedly (3, 4). Several fruits have been introduced and naturalized throughout the range that includes the areas from North of Lake Okeechobee southwards throughout the entire Florida Keys. One is the guava (Psidium guajava), that in local folk-lore is often reputed, but has not been docu mented, to have been introduced by the early Spanish ex plorers or the Glades Indians (3, 5, 8). The guava is related to several of our indigenous species often called "Stoppers", and is in the family Myrtaceae. It grows well in areas that have been disturbed, such as roadsides and old abandoned farm fields. Other wide-spread naturalized fruits found in hammocks, coastal areas, the Florida Keys and even North Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc, 92: 1979.

4 of Lake Okeechobee are the Key Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) and the Seville orange (C. aurantium) (3, 9, 13). They are frequently found near our native plants that are also in the Rutaceae or citrus family. In addition, many fruits have been introduced into culti vation here since the time of the Indians and early settlers. Several noteworthy examples are the avocado (Persea americana) in the Lauraceae; mango (Mangifera indica) in the Anacardiaceae; passion fruits (Passiflora spp.) in the Passifloraceae; sweet sop (Annona sqiiamosa), sour sop (A. muricata), and atemoya (A. squamosa x A. cherimola) in the Annonaceae; and sapodilla (Manilkara zapora), mamey sapote (Calocarpum sapota), canistel (Pouteria campechiana) in the Sapotaceae. All of these fruits have relatives among our native flora. There are some problems associated with the introduc tion of exotic fruits into cultivation in the lower Florida peninsula. When grown on their own roots vigorous cultivars with excellent fruit often have difficulties with adap tion to the ph of the soils, nutrient deficiencies, nematodes, insects and cold hardiness. Some of these problems may be overcome by developing rootstocks that are edaphically as well as climatically adapted. Native plants that are growing well within their natural communities have potential for use as rootstocks, in breeding and in selection of new fruits (Tables 1 and 2). Some native South Florida species have been crossed with cultivated relatives. The native corky-stemmed passion flower (Passiflora suberosa) was crossed with the Bat-winged Table 2. Native fruits that have potential for breeding and selection. ANNONACEAE Annona glabra L. Pond Apple. Fruit and rootstock. CHRYSOBALANACEAE Chrysobalanus icaco L. Coco Plum. Fruit and ornamental. Licania michauxii Prance. Gopher Apple. Fruit and wildlife attrac tion. EBENACEAE Diospyros virginiana L. Persimmon. Fruit, rootstock and wildlite MALPIGHIACEAE. Byrsonima lucida (Luncz.) P. Wilson. Locust Berry. Fruit, wildlife MORACEAE Ficus citrifolia Mill. Short Leaf Fig. Fruit and wildlife MYRTACEAE.. Psiduim longipes (O. Berg) McVaugh. Trailing Eugenia. Fruit. OLACEAE Ximinia americana L. Tallowwood. Fruit and wildlife ORCHIDACEAE Vanilla barbellata Rchb. f. Worm Vine. Spice. PASSIFLORACEAE Passiflora suberosa L. Corky-Stemmed Passion Flower. Fruit and wildlife POLYGONACEAE Cocoloba uvifera (L.) L. Sea Grape. Fruit, jelly and ornamental. ROSACEAE Prunus geniculata Harper. Hog Plum or Sand Plum. Fruit preserves, pie. RHAMNACEAE Reynosia septentrionalis Urban. Darling Plum. Fruit and wildlife SAPOTACEAE Chrysophyllum oliveforme L. Satin Leaf. Fruit and rootstock. VITACEAE Vitis shuttleworthii House. Calusa Grape. Preserves and wine. passion flower (P. coriacea), the cross showing intermediate vigor between the parents. Another cross was made between the native maypop (P. incarnata) and an Argentine species (P. cincinnata) to make the cultivar 'incense', subsequently released by the U.S.D.A. (16). Among other native and non-natives, breeding work has been done on grapes in the Vitaceae for resistance to Pierce's disease and foliar leaf spotting, crossing (Vitis smalliana) x V. vinefera and V. labrusca (14). Some of the native Florida Hibiscus in the Malvaceae have been crossed with some of the Asian species for fiber improvement in textile research (10). The native pawpaw (Asimina triloba) has been crossed with other Asiminas and several Annona spp. (17). Indigenous plants have been used as rootstocks. The American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is commonly used as a rootstock for the Japanese persimmon (D. kaki) in the Ebanaceae (2). The naranjilla {Solatium quitoense) in the Solanaceae from the Andes was grafted onto the native potato tree [5. (erianthum) verbascifolium] in testing for resistance to nematodes (7). Members of the genus Annona have been grafted onto the native pond apple (A. glabra) (1, 11, 12). Sour sop (A. muricata) has reportedly been dwarfed when grafted onto pond apple (1). Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) in the Sapotaceae has been grafted onto the native satinleaf (C. oliviforme) but growth was somewhat slower than when the star apple was on its own rootstock (6). Several families of indigenous and edaphically adapted plants are being tested by the authors for grafting com patibility with introduced tropical fruit in preliminary studies at the University of Florida Agricultural Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida. Although the investigation period has not been sufficiently long enough to give conclusive results or show delayed compatibility, some callusing has been observed between native and nonnatives within the Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae and Annonaceae. In the Myrtaceae, jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauhflora) is being grafted onto: Surinam cherry (Eugenia uni flora), which is naturalized in South Florida; white stopper (E. axillaris); and spicewood (Calyptranthes pollens). Work with the Sapotaceae is being done by grafting mamey sapote (Calocarpum sapota) onto canistel (Pouteria campechiana), sapodilla (Maniklara zapoda), and the native wild mastic (Mastichodendron foetidissim). In the Annonaceae, pond apple (Annona glabra), found in swampy areas of South Florida is being tested as a rootstock for sour sop (A. muri cata), sweet sop (A. squamosa), cherimoya (A. cherimola) and atemoya (A. squamosa x A. cherimola). It is reported in the literature that A. glabra is a good rootstock for areas subject to flooding (1, 11). This testing for graft compatibility within the 3 families will be an aid in future research for breeding and selection of cultivars more suited to our soils. As the cost for fuels continues to escalate, plants that are ecologically adapted to southern Florida could help reduce the costs for energy in the forms of fertilizer, irrigation, pest control, diseases and perhaps aid in production and yields. Literature Cited 1. Bourke, D. O'D The propagation of tropical fruit trees. Hort. Rev. No. 4. (ed.) C. J. Garner, Commonwealth Agr. Bureaux, Farnham Royal, England, p Campbell, Carl W. and Seymour Goldweber Fruit plants for southern Florida. Dade Co. Mimeo, Dade Co. Ext. Ser. 28p. 3. Craighead, Frank C The Trees of Southern Florida. Univ. of Miami Press, Miami, FL. 212p Hammocks of South Florida. In: Environments of South Florida (present and past), (ed.) Patrick J. Gleason, Miami Geological Soc, Miami, FL. p

5 5. Hoffmeister, John E Land from the Sea. Univ. of Miami Press, Miami, FL. 143p. 6. Ingram, Martha H Crysophylum cainito Star apple. The Propagation of Tropical Fruit Trees, (ed.) R. J. Garner et. al. Hort. Rev. No. 4, Commonwealth Agr. Bureaux, Farnham Royal, England, p Lendine, R. Bruce The Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. p Long, Robert W Origin of the vascular flora of South Florida. In: Environments of South Florida (present and past), (ed.) Patrick J. Gleason, Miami Geological Soc, Miami, FL. p and O. Lakela A Flora of Tropical Florida. Univ. of Miami Press, Miami, FL. 962p. 10. Menzel, Margaret Young and F. O. Wilson Allododecaploid hybrid of Hibiscus diversifolius and some related J?1 Hybrids. /. of Hered. 54(2): Popenoe, Wilson Manual of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits. Hafner Press. 474p. 12. Ruehle, G. D. and P. J. Westgate Annual Rept., Fla. Agr. Exp. Sta., Homestead, FL. 13. Small, John K Manual of Southeastern Florida. Hafner Pub. Co., New York. 1554p. 14. Stover, L. H Progress in the Development of Grape Varieties for Florida. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 73: Tomlinson, P. B. and F. C. Craighead, Sr. Growth-ring studies on the native trees of sub-tropical Florida, p Research Trends in Plant Anatomy, K. A. Chowdhury Commemoration Volume (eds.) A. K. M. Ghouse and Mohd. Yunus, New Delhi, India. 16. Winters, H. F. and Robert J. Knight, Jr Selecting and breed ing hardy passion flowers. Am. Hort. 54(5): Zimmerman, G. A Hybrids of the American pawpaw. J. of Hered. 32(3): Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 92: LiPID MARKERS IN CHEMOTAXONOMY OF TROPICAL FRUITS: PRELIMINARY STUDIES WITH CARAMBOLA AND LOQUAT H. E. Nordby and N. T. Hall U.S. Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory,,1 P. O. Box 1909, Winter Haven, Florida Abstract. Long-chain hydrocarbons, desmethyl sterols and fatty acids have previously been demonstrated to be suit able markers for the chemotaxonomy of citrus. We have extended these studies to include two tropical fruits: carambola (Averrhoa carambola L), 5 cultivars, and loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), 2 cultivars. The profiles of these three lipids in the 7 cultivars were determined by gasliquid chromatography. C21 to C31 long-chain hydrocarbons were present in both species but C22 to C29 monoenes were present only in carambola. Major sterols for both fruits were /3-sitosterol, campesterol, and isofucosterol in order of their prevalence. Both fruits contained primarily the four major plant fatty acids palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic; how ever, the ratios of these and 3 other acids were quite differ ent in the two fruits. Chemotaxonomy is used in the delimitation of closely related species, cultivars, selections, etc., of plants, fungi and other organisms. The markers generally used in these studies include flavanoids, coumarins, phenolics, terpenes, long-chain hydrocarbons, sterols and fatty acids. The last 3 types of compounds are generally classified as lipids since these compounds are soluble in organic solvents. Other than reports of the fatty acid composition of seeds (2), very little work has been done on the chemotaxonomy of tropical and subtropical fruits. We have extensively studied the chemotaxonomy of the genus Citrus with these lipid markers (3, 7-11), and observed trends in the lipid compositions of the various cultivars. Each citrus species had intrinsic profiles, and hybrids generally had profiles characteristic of both parents. Pro files of nucellar seedlings were different from those of zyisouthern Region, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product is for identification only and does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and does not imply its ap proval to the exclusion of others which may also be suitable. gotic seedlings. Because these lipid markers have not been investigated to any extent in subtropical and tropical fruits other than Citrus, we undertook this preliminary investiga tion on the lipid composition of two fruits, the carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) and the loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.). A study was conducted (12) previously on the organic acids, total soluble solids, flavor and texture of 18 carambola cultivars. Materials and Methods Samples. Fruits from 5 cultivars of carambola and 2 cultivars of loquat were obtained from the USDA Sub tropical Horticulture Research Unit (Miami, Florida), frozen and stored at 0 F until extracted (within 2 weeks). Lipid Extraction. Four fruits of each carambola cultivar were thawed and then individually cut, separated from their seeds and weighed (total fruit minus seeds). Fruits from each cultivar of loquat were pooled, separated from their seeds, divided into four replicates and weighed (40 to 60 g). The lipid of each sample was extracted with Folch reagent as reported by Nordby and Nagy for citrus lipid (6), weighed and stored at 40 F in benzene/ethanol, 4:1. Fatty Acid Analyses. An aliquot of each lipid sample was evaporated to dryness on a rotoevaporator and transesterified with MeOH-NaOH-BF3; the resultant methyl esters were purified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and then analyzed by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) on 3% SP-1000 (11) and on 10% Apolar 10C at 160 C. Desmethyl Sterol Analyses. An aliquot of each lipid sample was evaporated to dryness as above, saponified with 6% KOH and extracted into hexane (5). The desmethyl sterols were separated from the monomethyl sterols, di methyl sterols, hydrocarbons and other nonsaponifiables by silica gel TLC with chloroform as the developing solvent (5). Underivatized sterols were analyzed by GLC on a 1% SP-1000 column at 220 C (5). Hydrocarbon Analyses. The hydrocarbons eluted from the TLC platings of the nonsaponifiables, were analyzed by programmed GLC in which monounsaturates (monoenes) were resolved from saturates (alkanes) (10). For verification of the monoene fractions, the total hydrocarbon fraction was subjected to silver nitrate TLC (10), the isolated monoenes were hydrogenated (4), and the two saturated 298