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 - Understory to canopy trees, to ca. 25 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark dark brown, nearly smooth, with scattered vertical lines of lenticels, the outer bark ca. 1 mm thick, the inner bark ca. 10 mm thick, white with slight hint of pink, with distinct red boundary between inner and outer barks. Leaves; petioles 12-18 mm long; blades oblong, 18-19 x 8-9 cm, glabrous, with 17-25 pairs of secondary veins, the secondary veins running to near margin, the tertiary veins finely percurrent, forming 135° angle with midrib; base truncate, infrequently rounded; apex long acuminate; margins entire to finely serrulate. Inflorescences terminal or subterminal racemes or sparsely branched panicles of racemes, glabrous, lenticellate; pedicels 1-3 mm long. Flowers oblong, ca. 5 mm long x 10 mm wide; petals fleshy, white, cream-colored or yellow; androecium with stamens at apex and scattered over interior; ovary with numerous ovules in each locule, the style very short. Fruits cylindric, 7-18 x 3.5-6.5 cm. Seeds narrowly linear-elongate, notched at base, 5-6 cm long, the angles of testa verrucose, the funicle to 2 cm long.
Species Description - Understory to canopy trees, to ca. 25 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark dark brown, nearly smooth, with scattered vertical lines of lenticels, the outer bark ca. 1 mm thick, the inner bark ca. 10 mm thick, white with slight hint of pink, with distinct red boundary between inner and outer barks. Leaves; petioles 12-18 mm long; blades oblong, 18-19 x 8-9 cm, glabrous, with 17-25 pairs of secondary veins, the secondary veins running to near margin, the tertiary veins finely percurrent, forming 135° angle with midrib; base truncate, infrequently rounded; apex long acuminate; margins entire to finely serrulate. Inflorescences terminal or subterminal racemes or sparsely branched panicles of racemes, glabrous, lenticellate; pedicels 1-3 mm long. Flowers oblong, ca. 5 mm long x 10 mm wide; petals fleshy, white, cream-colored or yellow; androecium with stamens at apex and scattered over interior; ovary with numerous ovules in each locule, the style very short. Fruits cylindric, 7-18 x 3.5-6.5 cm. Seeds narrowly linear-elongate, notched at base, 5-6 cm long, the angles of testa verrucose, the funicle to 2 cm long.
Discussion:
Phenology. In flower throughout the year but flowering most profusely from Oct to Nov throughout its range. Flowers have not yet been observed at Km 41. Common name. Cerú. Uses. The seed is edible and the fibrous bark is used for making cigarette paper. Comments. This species is characterized by its (1) usual occurrence in wet habitats along rivers or small streams; (2) cylindric trunk; (3) oblong leaf blades with closely spaced, indistinct, percurrent tertiary veins; (4) oblong buds; (5) white, cream-colored, or yellow fleshy petals with inwardly oriented hooks at the apex, (6) oblong, actinomorphic androecium with the stamens scattered over the inside as well as at the apex, (7) long, cylindric fruits; and (8) seeds with a basal aril.
Phenology. In flower throughout the year but flowering most profusely from Oct to Nov throughout its range. Flowers have not yet been observed at Km 41. Common name. Cerú. Uses. The seed is edible and the fibrous bark is used for making cigarette paper. Comments. This species is characterized by its (1) usual occurrence in wet habitats along rivers or small streams; (2) cylindric trunk; (3) oblong leaf blades with closely spaced, indistinct, percurrent tertiary veins; (4) oblong buds; (5) white, cream-colored, or yellow fleshy petals with inwardly oriented hooks at the apex, (6) oblong, actinomorphic androecium with the stamens scattered over the inside as well as at the apex, (7) long, cylindric fruits; and (8) seeds with a basal aril.
Distribution:
Venezuela South America| Brazil South America|
Venezuela South America| Brazil South America|