Nectary (pl. = nectaries)

• Title

  Nectary (pl. = nectaries)

• Definition

  A nectar-producing structure within the flowers of some genera of neotropical Lecythidaceae.

• Notes

  Neotropical Lecythidaceae do not produce nectaries or nectar outside of their flowers (i.e., they do not produce extrafloral nectar). We know the following about nectar production in Lecythidaceae: 1) floral nectar is absent in some taxa (e.g., species of Couroupita and Gustavia), 2) we suspect that species of Allantoma,Cariniana, and Grias produce floral nectar but this needs to be confirmed, 3) some genera (as circumscribed on 11 October 2012) have species that produce and others that do not produce nectar (e.g., Lecythis, and 4) others, such as Couratari and Eschweilera, that always have vestigial stamen nectaries and are presumed to produce nectar.

• Related Terms

  Nectar chamber

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