Authority:

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. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Lecythidaceae

Synonyms:

Lecythis bracteosa Poepp. ex O.Berg

Description:

Description - Small to large trees, to 25 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark smooth, gray, the outer bark less than 1 mm thick, the inner bark 2 mm thick. Leaf blades oblong to oblong-elliptic, 11-28 x 4-12.5 cm, glabrous, coriaceous, the midrib prominent on both surfaces, with 10-14 pairs of lateral veins, prominulous above, prominent beneath; apex acuminate to apiculate, the acumen 5-20 mm long; base rounded to subcuneate; margins weakly undulate, with small glands at termination of veinlets; petiole 9-18 mm long, glabrous, slightly canaliculate because of inrolled narrow wing; stipules lanceolate, persistent, inserted well above junction of petiole, 3-5 mm long. Inflorescences of terminal racemes, 4-20 cm long, the rachis straight, not tortuous, glabrous, lenticellate, the pedicel bases remaining as short knobs ca. 1.5 mm long; pedicels jointed near base, the upper part 15-60 mm long; bract and two bracteoles at base of each pedicel, persistent at early anthesis, oblong, 4-15 mm long. Flowers 4-5 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes ovate, 6-10 x 6-8 mm, clearly imbricate, erect, glabrous; petals six, irregularly ovate-elliptic, cream or white, often tinted pinkish on exterior, 23-40 x 18-30 mm; hood of androecium yellow, 20-25 x 20-30 mm, doubly coiled, the whole inner part covered by extremely dense mass of very short staminoides; staminal ring symmetric, with 400-480 stamens, inserted in many rows around staminal ring, the filaments clavate, ±4 mm long, the anthers 0.5 mm long; ovary 2-locular, each locule with 8-15 basally attached ovules, erect, the summit of ovary clearly differentiated into short style 3-4 mm long. Fruit very broadly turbinate, the pericarp 7 mm thick; operculum with poorly developed or absent umbo.

Discussion:

This species is distinct because of the rather large, persistent bract and bracteoles at the base of the pedicel of each flower, a feature shared only by E. cyathiformis, E. rabeliana, and E. revoluta. The persistent stipules inserted above the junction of the petiole are unknown in other species of the genus. The fruits are thick-walled and more broadly turbinate than those of other species of the genus.

Distribution:

Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America|

Common Names:

coco de mono