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)
Family:

Lecythidaceae
Description:

Description - Trees, small, to 6 m; leaf-bearing branches to 12 mm in diam., the leaves loosely aggregated in 1 to 3 whorls at their ends. Leaf blades sessile, spathulate, 25-53 x 7-16 cm, glabrous, with inconspicuous reddish punctae abaxially, coriaceous, with 23-27 pairs of lateral veins; apices acuminate; bases ± auriculate; margins entire towards the base, serrulate towards the apex. Inflorescences fascicular, in axils of lower leaves or from branches just below the leaves, with 3-5 flowers, the rachis much reduced, usually less than 7 mm; pedicels glabrous, subtended by a single oblong or ovate, cucullate bract 23 x 2-2.5 mm and bearing just above the base 2 ovate, caducous bracteoles 2 x 2 mm. Flowers ca 4 cm in diam.; calyx enclosing the bud, splitting into an irregularly incised rim at anthesis; petals 4, obovate or elliptic, 14-20 x 7-10 mm, white; androecium with ca 195 stamens, the outermost filaments 7-10 mm, the anthers 0.7 mm; ovary glabrous, 4-locular, each locule with 2 ovules; style lacking; stigma with 4 lobes. Fruits truncate at the apex, 50-60 mm in diam, light yellow at maturity.

Discussion:

The relatively small, sessile, spathulate leaves in combination with the fasicular inflorescences in the axils of the leaves or on the branches just below the leaves characterize this species.
Distribution:

Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America|