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 - Canopy trees, to 35 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark fissured, the outer bark friable, the inner bark yellow. Twigs 5-6 mm diam., glabrous, smooth, dark reddish brown, angled. Leaves not deciduous?; petioles 12-22 mm long; blades elliptic or oblong, 16-22 x 6-9.5 cm, glabrous, with 14-18 pairs of lateral veins; base obtuse; apex acute to acuminate; margins entire, slightly revolute, with reddish brown scars left by caducous hairs. Inflorescences usually terminal, less frequently in axils of uppermost leaves, racemose, unbranched; pedicels short, glabrous. Flowers diurnal, 4-5 cm diam.; calyx-lobes 9-14 x 6.5-10 mm; petals white to light yellow, sometimes tinged with pink on outside; androecial hood curved inward, yellow or white with yellow on margins, the staminal ring with 170-260 stamens; ovary 4-locular, with 3-6 ovules per locule, the style oblique, 5-8 mm long. Fruits indehiscent, falling to ground with seeds inside at maturity, globose to depressed globose, 6.5-9 x 7.5-15 cm, the calycine ring poorly developed, inserted at or below middle, the pericarp 2-5 mm thick; operculum with umbo poorly developed or absent. Seeds 1-2 per fruit, hemispherical or circular in cross section, large, 4-6 x 4-6 cm, with conspicuous, reticulate network of impressed veins, without conspicuous aril.
Species Description - Canopy trees, to 35 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark fissured, the outer bark friable, the inner bark yellow. Twigs 5-6 mm diam., glabrous, smooth, dark reddish brown, angled. Leaves not deciduous?; petioles 12-22 mm long; blades elliptic or oblong, 16-22 x 6-9.5 cm, glabrous, with 14-18 pairs of lateral veins; base obtuse; apex acute to acuminate; margins entire, slightly revolute, with reddish brown scars left by caducous hairs. Inflorescences usually terminal, less frequently in axils of uppermost leaves, racemose, unbranched; pedicels short, glabrous. Flowers diurnal, 4-5 cm diam.; calyx-lobes 9-14 x 6.5-10 mm; petals white to light yellow, sometimes tinged with pink on outside; androecial hood curved inward, yellow or white with yellow on margins, the staminal ring with 170-260 stamens; ovary 4-locular, with 3-6 ovules per locule, the style oblique, 5-8 mm long. Fruits indehiscent, falling to ground with seeds inside at maturity, globose to depressed globose, 6.5-9 x 7.5-15 cm, the calycine ring poorly developed, inserted at or below middle, the pericarp 2-5 mm thick; operculum with umbo poorly developed or absent. Seeds 1-2 per fruit, hemispherical or circular in cross section, large, 4-6 x 4-6 cm, with conspicuous, reticulate network of impressed veins, without conspicuous aril.
Discussion:
Phenology. Flowers from Oct to Nov and fruits from Feb to Mar. Common name. Castanha jarana. Comments. Lecythis prancei is characterized by its (1) cylindric trunk, (2) fissured, friable outer bark that breaks into small pieces when hit with a machete, (3) yellow inner bark, (4) angular, glabrous, dark reddish brown, smooth twigs, (5) elliptic or often oblong, relatively large leaves, (6) large fruits that fall to the ground with the seeds inside, and (7) seeds without a conspicuous aril.
Phenology. Flowers from Oct to Nov and fruits from Feb to Mar. Common name. Castanha jarana. Comments. Lecythis prancei is characterized by its (1) cylindric trunk, (2) fissured, friable outer bark that breaks into small pieces when hit with a machete, (3) yellow inner bark, (4) angular, glabrous, dark reddish brown, smooth twigs, (5) elliptic or often oblong, relatively large leaves, (6) large fruits that fall to the ground with the seeds inside, and (7) seeds without a conspicuous aril.
Distribution:
Brazil South America|
Brazil South America|