Aril half I-beam

Creator(s): S. A. Mori

Description: Fruit and seeds of Eschweilera antioquensis based on Giraldo 31 from Cali, Colombia. note the aril running down the length of the side of the left-hand seed. This is called a half I-beam aril because at least one end of the aril covers the end of the seed.

Rights: Rights reside with creator, otherwise property of NYBG.

  • Title

    Aril half I-beam

  • Definition

    An aril that runs the length of the side of the seed and then abruptly turns to cover one or both ends of the seed.

  • Notes

    I-beam arils are limited to a clade currently retained in Eschweilera called the E. integrifolia clade by Huang et al. (in review). This clade is restricted to western Amazonia, the Andes region of Ecuador and Colombia, and into Panama. This type of aril possesses dense tissue and when dried is still well preserved in contrast to the poorly preserved lateral arils of the E. parvifolia clade. We hypothesize that some I-beam arils give rise to spreading arils.

  • Related Terms

    Aril

    Aril basal

    Aril basal-lateral

    Aril lateral

    Spreading aril

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