Monographs Details:
Authority:
Prance, Ghillean T. & Mori, S. A. 1979. Lecythidaceae - Part I. The actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae (Asteranthos, Gustavia, Grias, Allantoma & Cariniana). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-270. (Published by NYBG Press)
Prance, Ghillean T. & Mori, S. A. 1979. Lecythidaceae - Part I. The actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae (Asteranthos, Gustavia, Grias, Allantoma & Cariniana). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-270. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Lecythidaceae
Lecythidaceae
Description:
Description - Trees, to 18 m tall. Leaf blades sessile, oblanceolate, 78-90 x 20-27 cm, glabrous, coriaceous, with 36-37 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; margins entire. Inflorescences suprafoliar, racemose, with ca 8 flowers, the rachis 60 mm; pedicels 140-170 mm, subtended by a single caducous bract and bearing above the middle 2 oblong bracteoles 12 x 5 mm. Flowers 14 cm in diameter; calyx lobes 4(-5), broadly triangular, 14-18 x 8-9 mm; petals (7-)8, broadly to narrowly obovate, 80-90 x 40-52 mm, pink; connate androecium base 13 mm high; outermost filaments 27 mm; anthers 4 mm long; ovary 5-locular, with 16-20 ovules in each locule, puberulous, obscurely 4-costate, white-pubescent at the summit; style conical, 4 mm. Fruit turbinate, dark brown, 13 x 9-10 cm, the pericarp 9-13 mm thick. Seeds 4 per fruit, 48-74 x 45-58 mm, with distinctive funicles.
Description - Trees, to 18 m tall. Leaf blades sessile, oblanceolate, 78-90 x 20-27 cm, glabrous, coriaceous, with 36-37 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; margins entire. Inflorescences suprafoliar, racemose, with ca 8 flowers, the rachis 60 mm; pedicels 140-170 mm, subtended by a single caducous bract and bearing above the middle 2 oblong bracteoles 12 x 5 mm. Flowers 14 cm in diameter; calyx lobes 4(-5), broadly triangular, 14-18 x 8-9 mm; petals (7-)8, broadly to narrowly obovate, 80-90 x 40-52 mm, pink; connate androecium base 13 mm high; outermost filaments 27 mm; anthers 4 mm long; ovary 5-locular, with 16-20 ovules in each locule, puberulous, obscurely 4-costate, white-pubescent at the summit; style conical, 4 mm. Fruit turbinate, dark brown, 13 x 9-10 cm, the pericarp 9-13 mm thick. Seeds 4 per fruit, 48-74 x 45-58 mm, with distinctive funicles.
Discussion:
Ecology. Gustavia dodsonii is uncommon in the middle story of wet, mature forest. The trunks of this species have very great tensile strength and are therefore used by natives as levers to lift heavy objects. This reduces the number of trees in the woods and probably accounts for the fact that it is uncommon (Dodson, pers. comm.).
Ecology. Gustavia dodsonii is uncommon in the middle story of wet, mature forest. The trunks of this species have very great tensile strength and are therefore used by natives as levers to lift heavy objects. This reduces the number of trees in the woods and probably accounts for the fact that it is uncommon (Dodson, pers. comm.).
Distribution:
Ecuador South America| Esmeraldas Ecuador South America|
Ecuador South America| Esmeraldas Ecuador South America|