Carpotroche brasiliensis (Raddi) A.Gray
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Authority
Sleumer, Hermann O. 1980. Flacourtiaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 22: 1-499. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Achariaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Raddi sn, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado, fl fr (holotype, Pl, phot NY; isotype, Fl).
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Synonyms
Mayna brasiliensis Raddi, Carpotroche brasiliensis var. longifolia Eichler, Carpotroche brasiliensis var. bahiensis Rizzini, Carpotroche brasiliensis var. bahiensis Rizzini
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Description
Description - Shrub or generally tree 2.0-15.0(-20.0) m tall; trunk 10.0-25.0 cm diam; bark smooth, light gray. Branchlets grayish-tomentellous to -tomentose at tips, older parts glabrescent, corky and covered with small roundish lenticels. Leaves obovate- to elliptic-oblong, sometimes elongately so, apex shortly acuminate or obtuse, base attenuate to obtuse, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, pubescent initially on midrib and nerves, less densely on the intervenium beneath, gradually glabrescent, entire or dentate-subcrenulate in the upper part of the lamina, (6.0-)10.0-15.0(-22.0) cm long, 4.0-9.0 cm broad, lateral nerves 7-9 (sometimes -11) pairs rather straight below, more or less distinctly looping distally, prominent beneath, reticulation of veins and veinlets rather inconspicuous on both faces; petiole hardly thickened distally, 1.0-2.0 cm long; stipules linear-subulate, 5.0-10.0 mm long, rather early caducous. Flowers on usually foliate branches, axillary, polygamo-dioecious, the [male] 3-5 together collected into corymbose-contracted peduncled (1.5-4.0 cm) racemes, all over sericeous-tomentellous; pedicels 1.0(-2.0) cm long, articulate more or less at middle and provided there with several subulate rather caducous bracts and bracteoles up to 1.0 cm long. Sepals 3, obovate-elliptic, membranous, 1.2-1.4 cm long. Petals 9(-12), obovate-elliptic, white, sericeous-puberulous especially dorsally and towards the base, the outer ones slightly surpassing the sepals. Stamens 50-60, hispidulous-hairy; filaments ca 3 mm long; anthers 6.0-7.0 mm long. Flowers [male and female] generally solitary, rarely 2 or 3 in a fascicle, slightly larger than the [male] ones, on peduncle 2.0-4.0 cm long. Stamens 20(-30). Ovary sessile, ovoid-subglobose, with 10-14 thickish plicate-undulate larger and a few intermixed smaller wings, all over yellowish-tomentulose; styles 5-7, tubular, pubescent; stigmas subcapitate, cristate-lobulate, glabrous. Fruit capsular, ellipsoid-subglobular, variable in shape, size, and in form and position of the wings, (6.0-)10.0-20.0(-40.0) cm diam, with (8-)10-14 dextrorse or sinistrorse wings or crests, these papyraceous, erect and shortly wavy, sometimes reflexed, edge entire or wavy, finally more or less incised, (5.0-)10.0(-20.0, -30.0) mm high; pericarp fibrose, 2.0-4.0 mm thick. Seeds numerous, obovoid-rhomboid, striate, 15.0-20.0 mm long, in a yellowish pulp.
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Discussion
The oil of the seeds contains Chaulmoogra acid, once used for skin diseases. “Canudo de pito,” “Sapucainha.”
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Distribution
Brazil, scattered from São Paulo (Serra do Cantareira) to Rio de Janeiro/Guanabara, Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo, and Bahia; in forest on hillsides, or in coastal forest, at low elevations.
Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|