Fruits Introduced by Bill Whitman

From the Tropical Fruit News, Rare Fruit Council International Miami RFCI

Fig. 1

On the evening of March 11, 1955, a small group of horticulturally-minded people assembled in the Simpson Memorial Garden Center. The purpose of the meeting was to form an active organization to promote the progress of tropical pomology in South Florida. Those attending were Seymour Goldweber, Dr. Roy Harkness, Dr. R. Bruce Ledin, Duffield Matson, Jr., Salvatore Mauro, Julia Morton, Kendal Morton, Dr. George D. Ruehle, William F. Whitman and Seymour W. Younghans. ²

At this first meeting, Mr. Whitman gave the opening address outlining the need for such a pomological organization. He stressed the fact that South Florida enjoys a unique climate in the United States enabling it alone to grow many cold-intolerant fruits that would not survive the winter in any other part of out continental boundaries. It was suggested that we should take the fullest advantage of this climatic opportunity by making a concerted effort to secure superior tropical fruit varieties from foreign countries, to be on the alert for chance seedlings of merit from our own semi-tropical areas, to encourage breeding, to learn more about cultural requirements by exchanging information and ideas on this neglected but interesting and important field, the know-how of growing tropical fruits. ²

The "Rare Fruit Council", as the name implies, is a group devoted primarily to the study and advancement of the lesser-known tropical fruits which have not yet achieved economic importance or are not cultivated on a large scale in this country. It affords an excellent opportunity to assemble monthly, in a congenial group, those interested in this fascinating field of endeavor. The enthusiasm shown by this small gathering leads us to anticipate a bright future. It is hoped that the Rare Fruit Council will continue to grow and its members, working as a team, make a permanent contribution to the advancement of tropical pomology around the globe, as well as in our own "backyard" of South Florida. ²

Full article Rare Fruit Council, A Tropical Fruit Study Group, delivered at the 68th Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society, Clearwater, Fl. Nov. 1-3, 1955. ^pdf

Editor's note: The RFCI is 45 years old this month (2000) and when Maurice Kong come to us with the idea that is was time to honor William Francis Whitman we wholeheartedly agreed and jumped into the project. Bill is not only one of the RFCI founders, but has also introduced many of the plants we love and is funding color for TFNews. Bob.

Fruits Introduced by Bill Whitman ¹

1950: Musa hybrid, Plantain 'Dwarf Puerto Rican'; Puerto Rico
1951: Melicoccus bijugatus, Spanish lime 'Queen'; Key West
1952: Chrysophyllum cainito, Star apple 'Haitian'; Haiti
1953: Musa fehi, Fehi; Hawaii
1954: Pouteria viride, Green sapote; Honduras Dimocarpus longan, Longan 'Kohala'; Hawaii Macadamia integrifolia, Macadamia 'Keahou'; Hawaii Psidium guajava, Guava 'Seedless Indonesian'; Java
1955: Annona squamosa, Sugar apple 'Seedless Cuban'; Cuba Musa hybrid, Plantain 'Maiden'; Bahamas
1956: Mangifera odorata, Kwini; Indonesia Cynometra cauliffora, Namnam; Indonesia Musa hybrid, Banana 'Ice Cream'; Hawaii Musa hybrid, Banana 'Williams'; Hawaii Lansium domesticum, Langsat 'Conception'; Philippines
1957: Mangifera indica, Mango 'Okrong'; Thailand Mangifera indica, Mango 'Mun'; Thailand Licania platypus, Sunsapote; EI Salvador Lansium domesticum, Langsat 'Uttaradit'; Thailand
1959: Pometia pinnata, Fijian longan; Hawaii Melicoccus bijugatus, Spanish lime, 'Cuban No. I'; Cuba Melicoccus bijugatus, Spanish lime, 'Cuban No.2'; Cuba Annona muricata, Soursop 'Cuban Fiberless'; Cuba
1960: Syzygium samarangense, Wax jambu 'Sri nark'; Thailand Musa hybrid, Banana 'HaaHaa'; Hawaii Musa hybrid, Banana 'Hua Moa'; Hawaii
1961: Pyrus malus, Apple 'Dorsett Golden'; Bahamas 1962: Couepia polyandra, Olosapo; Hawaii Mouriria guianensis, Cometure; Venezuela Nephelium lappaceum, Rambutan 'R-7'; Malaysia
1963: Annona hybrid, 'African Pride'; Australia Artocarpus altilis, Breadfruit 'Puero'; Tahiti Pouteria obovata, Lucma; Peru
1964: Rheedia sp., Charichuela; Iquitos, Peru Myrciaria paraensis, Camu-camu; Iquitos, Peru Quararibea cordata, S. American sapote; Iquitos, Peru
1966: Mangifera indica, Mango 'Simanalagi'; Indonesia Musa hybrid, 'Pregnant Banana'; Hawaii
1967: Litchi chinensis, Lychee 'Amboina'; Honduras Bouea macrophylla, Maprang 'Wan'; Thailand Sandoricum koetjape, Santol 'Bangkok'; Philippines
1968: Baccaurea dulcis, Rambeh 'Namtansai'; Thailand Pouteria sp. 'Ross sapote': Costa Rica
1969: Mangifera indica, Mango 'Extrema'; Paraguay
1970: Caryocar nuciferum, Souari nut; Guyana
1972: Nephelium lappaceum, Rambutan 'Chompoo'; Thailand
1976: Baccaurea dulcis, Rambeh 'Rean thong'; Thailand
1977: Planchonella australis, Australian native plum; Australia
1978: Salacca edulis, Salak palm 'Gondak'; Bali
1980: Garcinia prainiana, cherapu; Malaysia
1983: Litchi chinensis, Lychee 'Emperor'; Thailand
1984: Guilielma gasipaes, Peach Palm 'Spineless'; Colombia
1985: Dacryodes edulis, Safu; Zaire Anonidium mannii, Junglesop; Zaire Landolphia sp., Eta vine; Zaire
1986: Willughbeia angustifolia, Kubal vine; Borneo Treculia africana, African breadnut; Zaire Artocarpus heterophyllus, Jakfruit 'NS-I '; Borneo Lansium hybrid, Duku-Langsat hybrid; Borneo Planchonella australis, Australian native plum; Australia
1987: Artocarpus sericicarpus, Pedalai; Borneo Artocarpus integer, Champedak 'Malay'; Borneo
1988: Sarcocephalus xanthoxylon, Ndea; Zaire Synsepalum sp., Giant miracle fruit; Zaire Nephelium cuspidatum var. robustum, Giant jungle rambutan; Borneo Cocos nucifera, Coconut 'Pipa'; Costa Rica
1989: Diospyros mannii, Zevelu; Zaire
1990: Theobroma grandifforum, Cupuassu; Australia
1991: Pouteria caimito, Abiu 'Gray'; Hawaii Pouteria caimito, Abiu 'Z2' Nephelium mutabile, Purple pulasan; Hawaii Durio zibethinus, Durian 'Seedless Red'; Hawaii
1993: Artocarpus heterophyllus, Jakfruit 'Cochin'; Australia Patinoa almirajo, Almirajo; Australia Marliera edulis, Carnbuca; Hawaii
1994: Theobroma grandiflorum, 'Seedless' cupuassu
1995: Annona crassiffora; Brazil -(Scientific name unknown) Dolea; Zaire Rheedia sp., large-seeded Rheedia; Ecuador Mangifera casturi, 'Kasturi' mango; Hawaii
1996: Rheedia achachairu, Rheedia; Australia
1997: Durio zibethinus, Durian 'Mon Tong'; Hawaii Hexa crispifforus, Chimpanzee banana; Zaire Annona crassiffora; Brazil
1998: Annona salzmannii, Beach araticum; Hawaii Passiffora alata, Alata; Colombia
1999: Manilkara bibentata, Tobago gooseberry; Tobago

Fig. 2
William F. Whitman, president of the Rare Fruit Council, leads discussion of rare
mango varieties, and other lesser known tropical fruit which are only beginning to be known here.

Six Decades with Tropical Fruit: Retrospect

The year 2019 marks the beginning of the sixth decade of The Rare Fruit Council International, Inc. (RFCI). Sixty-four years ago, the purposes of our Council were set by ten founders who met on March 11, 1955 to establish an organization for the promotion of tropical pomology in areas of suitable climate. A tropical fruit study group was formed, and later named Rare Fruit Council by Julia Morton, of the Morton Collectanea. ³

These early visionaries dreamed of obtaining rare fruit species from many foreign countries, improving quality, and selecting desirable varieties. Since that meeting, hundreds of dedicated members have fulfilled many of the purposes set by RFCI’s founders to provide the community with these rare species, publications and lectures for the education and pleasure of Florida’s fruit enthusiasts. ³

Further Reading
Two Decades of Tropical Fruit Introduction, delivered to the Florida State Horticultural Society, 1972 ^pdf

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Fruit Index

Bibliography

¹ Fruits Introduced by Bill Whitman. Rare Fruit Council International Miami RFCI, Tropical Fruit News, March, vol. 34, no. 3, 2000.
² Whitman, William F., and Salvatore Mauro. Rare Fruit Council, A Tropical Fruit Study Group. Rare Fruit Council International Miami RFCI, Tropical Fruit News, March, vol. 34, no. 3, 2000.
³ "Six Decades with Tropical Fruit: Retrospect." Rare Fruit Council International RFCI Miami, rarefruitcouncil.org/six-decades-retrospect/. Accessed 30 Mar 2019.

Photographs

Fig. ¹ Campbell, Richard. "William F. Whitman."
Fig. ² "William F. Whitman, president of the Rare Fruit Council, leads discussion of rare mango varieties, and other lesser known tropical fruit which are only beginning to be known here." The Miami News Sunday, July 7th 1957.

Published 22 July 2019 LR