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.
Family:

Lecythidaceae
Description:

Species Description - Canopy trees, to 35 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark reddish brown, with shallow vertical cracks, the outer bark 1-2 mm thick, the inner bark 5-6 mm thick, red. Leaves: petioles 15-33 mm long, drying black; blades oblong or elliptic, 15-26 x 5-10.5 cm, charta-ceous to coriaceous, the abaxial surface whitish (caused by cuticular papillae), with 11-16 pairs of lateral veins; base acute to rounded; apex acute, short acuminate, or acuminate. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, simple racemes; pedicels 10-22 mm long, pubescent. Flowers 4-5 cm diam.; calyx-lobes not or only slightly imbricate, 4.5-8.5 x 4-8.5 mm; petals 6, white, with tinges of green on outside; androecial hood yellow, the staminal ring with ca. 237-341 stamens; ovary 2-locular, the style not well differentiated from summit of ovary. Fruits turbinate, 3.5-5 (excluding operculum) x 4-8 cm, often with vestigial calyx-lobes, the calycine ring inserted near apex, the exocarp light brown, the pericarp 3-6 mm thick; operculum convex, without umbo. Seeds with lateral, white aril.

Discussion:

Phenology. Flowers from Jan to Nov and fruits from Mar to Nov. Common name. Castanha vermelha, referring to the red color of the inner bark. Comments. This species is characterized by its (1) slightly fissured bark and reddish slash, (2) whitish cast to the abaxial leaf surface, (3) relatively long, black petioles, and (4) light brown, broadly turbinate fruits.
Distribution:

Brazil South America|