Leptocaul

• Title

  Leptocaul

• Definition

  A type of growth form in which the tree is branched many times and the stems and leaves are not unusually large.

• Notes

  All zygomorphic-flowered species of Lecythidaceae are leptocauls. In addition, the actinomorphic-flowered species belonging to Gustavia sect. Hexapetala, a number of other species of Gustavia, and Allantoma are leptocauls. There are different architectural models as described in the system of Hallé and Oldeman (see Hallé, 2004) that occur among the leptocaulous New World Lecythidaceae but only the modèle de Rauh found in Couroupita guianensis (see species page) has been worked out with confidence.

• Related Terms

  Pachycaul

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