Monographs Details:
Authority:
Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.
Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.
Family:
Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae
Description:
Genus Description - Trees or shrubs; leaves decussate, usually bearing impressed glands below in the lamina, the stipules small, free from each other, borne on the base of the petiole. Inflorescence an axillary pseudoraceme, simple or rarely ternate, without vegetative leaves, or in a few species terminating a short lateral branch with a pair of vegetative leaves; bracts and bracteoles persistent, the bracts eglandular, 1 or both bracteoles usually bearing 1(-2) abaxial glands. Calyx bearing 8-10 long, decurrent glands. Petals yellow or whitish, glabrous, the lateral 4 recurved, the posterior erect. Stamens 10, glabrous, all fertile, the anthers ± alike; pollen polyforate. Receptacle glabrous on both sides of the stamens. Ovary of 2-3 quite connate carpels, the locules 2-3, each fertile; styles free or partially to completely connate, stout, the large terminal stigmas subpeltate or apparently capitate. Fruit an edible drupe with 2-3 1-seeded pyrenes (or 1 due to abortion) in a common fleshy exocarp, yellow, orange, or red at maturity, the pyrenes elongated, round or elliptical in cross section, free from each other at maturity, with a smooth, brittle, cartilaginous wall.
Genus Description - Trees or shrubs; leaves decussate, usually bearing impressed glands below in the lamina, the stipules small, free from each other, borne on the base of the petiole. Inflorescence an axillary pseudoraceme, simple or rarely ternate, without vegetative leaves, or in a few species terminating a short lateral branch with a pair of vegetative leaves; bracts and bracteoles persistent, the bracts eglandular, 1 or both bracteoles usually bearing 1(-2) abaxial glands. Calyx bearing 8-10 long, decurrent glands. Petals yellow or whitish, glabrous, the lateral 4 recurved, the posterior erect. Stamens 10, glabrous, all fertile, the anthers ± alike; pollen polyforate. Receptacle glabrous on both sides of the stamens. Ovary of 2-3 quite connate carpels, the locules 2-3, each fertile; styles free or partially to completely connate, stout, the large terminal stigmas subpeltate or apparently capitate. Fruit an edible drupe with 2-3 1-seeded pyrenes (or 1 due to abortion) in a common fleshy exocarp, yellow, orange, or red at maturity, the pyrenes elongated, round or elliptical in cross section, free from each other at maturity, with a smooth, brittle, cartilaginous wall.
Discussion:
Type. Bunchosia odorata (Jacquin) Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth. Bunchosia is a genus of about 55 species, ranging from Mexico and the West Indies to Paraguay and southern Brazil. The edible fruits of various species are called "ciruela," "ciruela de fraile," and ''ciruela de montaiia" in Venezuela and Colombia and "marmelo" in Brazil.
Type. Bunchosia odorata (Jacquin) Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth. Bunchosia is a genus of about 55 species, ranging from Mexico and the West Indies to Paraguay and southern Brazil. The edible fruits of various species are called "ciruela," "ciruela de fraile," and ''ciruela de montaiia" in Venezuela and Colombia and "marmelo" in Brazil.