Monographs Details:
Authority:
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.
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.
Family:
Lecythidaceae
Lecythidaceae
Description:
Species Description - Emergent trees, to 45 m tall, unbuttressed or with incipient buttresses. Bark fissured, brown, the outer bark laminated, often thicker than inner bark, the inner bark white. Twigs 1-2.5 mm diam., glabrous. Leaves deciduous, new leaves flushing when tree flowers; petioles 3-10 mm long, very narrowly decurrent; blades elliptic to oblong, 7-13.5 x 3.5-5.5, abaxial surface of newly flushed leaves with whitish cast, with 11-15 pairs of lateral veins; base obtuse, very narrowly decurrent onto petiole; apex acuminate; margins serrulate, with caducous hairs at apex of teeth, older leaves with scars left by hairs. Inflorescences ramiflorous, spicate to racemose, the rachis 1.5-3.5 cm long; pedicel absent below articulation, 2 mm long above articulation. Flowers diurnal, turning bluish green when bruised, 3-4 cm diam.; calyx-lobes 5-6 x 6-6.5 mm; petals white, tinged with pink; androecial hood flat, light yellow, the staminal ring with ca. 345 densely packed stamens, the proximal appendages anther-bearing, the distal ones antherless; ovary (3-)4-locular, with 7-15 ovules attached along septum, the style erect, with annular ring toward apex, 2 mm long. Fruits dehiscent, turning bluish green when bruised, globose, 8-13 x 11-15 cm, the calycine ring conspicuous, inserted above middle, the pericarp 10-15 mm thick. Seeds with basal funicle/aril.
Species Description - Emergent trees, to 45 m tall, unbuttressed or with incipient buttresses. Bark fissured, brown, the outer bark laminated, often thicker than inner bark, the inner bark white. Twigs 1-2.5 mm diam., glabrous. Leaves deciduous, new leaves flushing when tree flowers; petioles 3-10 mm long, very narrowly decurrent; blades elliptic to oblong, 7-13.5 x 3.5-5.5, abaxial surface of newly flushed leaves with whitish cast, with 11-15 pairs of lateral veins; base obtuse, very narrowly decurrent onto petiole; apex acuminate; margins serrulate, with caducous hairs at apex of teeth, older leaves with scars left by hairs. Inflorescences ramiflorous, spicate to racemose, the rachis 1.5-3.5 cm long; pedicel absent below articulation, 2 mm long above articulation. Flowers diurnal, turning bluish green when bruised, 3-4 cm diam.; calyx-lobes 5-6 x 6-6.5 mm; petals white, tinged with pink; androecial hood flat, light yellow, the staminal ring with ca. 345 densely packed stamens, the proximal appendages anther-bearing, the distal ones antherless; ovary (3-)4-locular, with 7-15 ovules attached along septum, the style erect, with annular ring toward apex, 2 mm long. Fruits dehiscent, turning bluish green when bruised, globose, 8-13 x 11-15 cm, the calycine ring conspicuous, inserted above middle, the pericarp 10-15 mm thick. Seeds with basal funicle/aril.
Discussion:
Phenology. Flowers in Aug and Dec. Common name. Sapucaia. Comments. Lecythis zabucajo is morphologically very similar to L. pisonis. Both species are characterized by their (1) fissured, laminated outer bark, (2) flowers and fruits that turn bluish green when bruised, (3) annular expansion toward the apex of the style, and (4) very large fruits with seeds subtended by a well-developed aril. They differ in the tendency toward narrower leaves and the restriction of the hood anthers to the proximal appendages of L. zabucajo (in L. pisonis the anthers are found throughout the hood). In addition, young leaves of L. zabucajo have a whitish cast to the abaxial surface not found in L. pisonis. The flowers of L. zabucajo may have fewer stamens and ovules per locule, and its calycine ring might not be as markedly developed in the fruit as in L. pisonis. A further complication is that flower color differences used to separate these two species in other parts of their range do not hold up in this part of the Amazon. Lecythis zabucajo, at least in the Guianas, usually has yellow petals and L. pisonis usually has purple petals that turn white after they fall. In our area the petals of the former are white with a purple or pinkish tinge and those of the latter are pure white. Seven individuals of this species have unusually narrow leaves. Trees 628 (Mori et al. 19526, INPA, NY), 695 (Mori et al. 19559, INPA, NY), 1390 (Mori et al. 19773, INPA, NY), and 1579 (Mori et al. 19869, INPA, NY) voucher this leaf variation. Although we have watched these trees for the last five years, none have come into flower, and we believe that they represent leaf variation within L. zabucajo.
Phenology. Flowers in Aug and Dec. Common name. Sapucaia. Comments. Lecythis zabucajo is morphologically very similar to L. pisonis. Both species are characterized by their (1) fissured, laminated outer bark, (2) flowers and fruits that turn bluish green when bruised, (3) annular expansion toward the apex of the style, and (4) very large fruits with seeds subtended by a well-developed aril. They differ in the tendency toward narrower leaves and the restriction of the hood anthers to the proximal appendages of L. zabucajo (in L. pisonis the anthers are found throughout the hood). In addition, young leaves of L. zabucajo have a whitish cast to the abaxial surface not found in L. pisonis. The flowers of L. zabucajo may have fewer stamens and ovules per locule, and its calycine ring might not be as markedly developed in the fruit as in L. pisonis. A further complication is that flower color differences used to separate these two species in other parts of their range do not hold up in this part of the Amazon. Lecythis zabucajo, at least in the Guianas, usually has yellow petals and L. pisonis usually has purple petals that turn white after they fall. In our area the petals of the former are white with a purple or pinkish tinge and those of the latter are pure white. Seven individuals of this species have unusually narrow leaves. Trees 628 (Mori et al. 19526, INPA, NY), 695 (Mori et al. 19559, INPA, NY), 1390 (Mori et al. 19773, INPA, NY), and 1579 (Mori et al. 19869, INPA, NY) voucher this leaf variation. Although we have watched these trees for the last five years, none have come into flower, and we believe that they represent leaf variation within L. zabucajo.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America|
Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America|