Platonia insignis Mart.

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.

  • Family

    Clusiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Platonia insignis Mart.

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. A large tree with yellow latex and handsome pink flowers, widely distributed in the Guianas, the middle and lower Amazon Basin, and the lower Rio Negro. The ripe yellow pericarp of the fruit is edible.

  • Discussion

    P. grandiflora PI. & Tr. Ann. Sci. Nat. IV. 14: 297. 1860.

    P. insignis Mart. var. formosa E. E. Schultes, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 17: 18. 1955.

    Type. Para, Brasil, Martius 2569 (holotype M, photo NY; isotype M, photo NY).

    P. grandiflora PI. & Tr. (I.e.), based on a specimen (specimens?) in herb. Mus. Paris marked "Bresil," bearing the ined. designation '"Symphonia grandiflora Choisy," was distinguished chiefly because of presumed quantitative difference of size of flowers and flower parts.

    The var. formosa was described as having the petal margins strongly involute. The type has not been available to me.

    This fine forest tree is quite variable in the size and form of its leaves, and in the size of its flowers. A review of the materials at Harvard, the U. S. National Herbarium and at New York does not lend evidence of any specific or varietal segregation.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. A large tree with yellow latex and handsome pink flowers, widely distributed in the Guianas, the middle and lower Amazon Basin, and the lower Rio Negro. The ripe yellow pericarp of the fruit is edible.

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