Taxon Details: Corythophora R.Knuth
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Family:

Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:

Corythophora R.Knuth
Primary Citation:

Pflanzenr. (Engler) IV, 219a: 50. 1939
Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.
Description:

Description: Canopy trees. Leaves scattered along branches, medium to large-sized (4-34 cm long), glabrous; domatia absent; secondary venation reticulate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, spicate or once-branched paniculate arrangements of spikes, growth of rachises determinate. Flowers present with leaves, zygomorphic; sepals 6; petals 6; flat at apices; androecium forming hood, the hood flat, the fertile stamens in staminal ring, not reflexed, the fodder staminodes either in ring or hood, the anthers laterally dehiscent; staminal lip present; ovary 2-5-locular, ovules 4-6 per locule, attached on floor of locule or at base of septum (this needs to be confirmed), the style without stylar collar. Fruit dehiscent, remaining on tree at maturity, campanulate except for cylindric fruit of C. labriculata, pericarp relatively thick. Seeds not winged, numerous, usually fusiform, not embedded in pulp, the testa glabrous; cotyledons absent; embryo macropodial.

Distribution: Corythophora is restricted to NE South America in Brazil from Manaus mostly north of the Amazon eastward to the mouth of the Amazon and in French Guiana and Surinam. There are no collections from Guyana.

Ecology: Species of Corythophora are found in lowland, terra firme forest. There is some niche differentiation, for example in French Guiana C. rimosa subsp. rimosa is found on ridge tops and C. amapaensis in lower areas (Mitchell & Mori, 1987).

Number of species: There are four species and two subspecis of C. rimosa.

Taxonomic notes: There are no morphological synapomorphies for the genus, but molecular data recovers species of Corythophora in a highly supported clade (Mori et al., 2007). This clade is divided into two subclades: one with C. alta and C. rimosa (small, non-imbricate calyx-lobes and without a color contrast between the hypanthium and the calyx-lobes) and the other with C. labriculata and C. amapaensis (large imbricate calyx-lobes and a contrasting colors between the hypanthium and the calyx-lobes).

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Corythophora R.Knuth: [Article] Mori, S. A. 1987. The Lecythidaceae of a lowland Neotropical Forest: La Fumée mountain, French Guiana. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 44: 1-190.
Corythophora R.Knuth: [Article] Mori, S. A. & Lepsch da Cunha, Nadia M. 1995. The Lecythidaceae of a central Amazonian moist forest. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 75: 1-55.
Corythophora R.Knuth: [Article] Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376.