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
Synonyms:
Couratari legalis Mart., Cariniana brasiliensis Casar.
Couratari legalis Mart., Cariniana brasiliensis Casar.
Description:
Description - Tree to 25.0 m tall, the young branches glabrous, sparsely lenticellate. Leaves with laminas oblong, 3.0-6.5 cm long, 1.5-3.2 cm broad, the margins weakly serrate-crenulate, rarely crenate, acuminate at apex, the acumen 1.0-5.0mm long, straight, the base cuneate, decurrent onto petiole and the decurrent part characteristically revolute in dried material; midrib prominulous above, prominent beneath, glabrous beneath; primary veins 9-11 pairs, without domatia at junction with midrib, prominulous on both surfaces, anastomosing near margins, 2.0-10.0 mm apart at base; petiole 3.0-5.0 mm long, the upper portion winged. Inflorescences terminal and subterminal little-branched panicles or racemes, the rachis and branches puberulous; pedicels 0.5-1.0 mm long, sparsely puberulous. Calyx 2.5-3.0 mm long, the lobes obscure, rounded, sparsely puberulous on exterior. Petals oblong-ovate, ca 4.0 mm long, white. The androecium ca 3.0 mm in basal diameter, with ca 50 stamens mostly attached to apex with a few free filaments arising from base of the androecium, reddish-purple. Style very short. Pyxidium 4.5-6.5 cm long, 1.5-3.0 cm broad, the calycine ring indistinct, 0.4-0.8 cm below apex, the pericarp 2.0-3.0 mm thick at apex, the line of opercular dehiscence smooth not toothed; operculum 1.0-1.5 cm diameter.
Description - Tree to 25.0 m tall, the young branches glabrous, sparsely lenticellate. Leaves with laminas oblong, 3.0-6.5 cm long, 1.5-3.2 cm broad, the margins weakly serrate-crenulate, rarely crenate, acuminate at apex, the acumen 1.0-5.0mm long, straight, the base cuneate, decurrent onto petiole and the decurrent part characteristically revolute in dried material; midrib prominulous above, prominent beneath, glabrous beneath; primary veins 9-11 pairs, without domatia at junction with midrib, prominulous on both surfaces, anastomosing near margins, 2.0-10.0 mm apart at base; petiole 3.0-5.0 mm long, the upper portion winged. Inflorescences terminal and subterminal little-branched panicles or racemes, the rachis and branches puberulous; pedicels 0.5-1.0 mm long, sparsely puberulous. Calyx 2.5-3.0 mm long, the lobes obscure, rounded, sparsely puberulous on exterior. Petals oblong-ovate, ca 4.0 mm long, white. The androecium ca 3.0 mm in basal diameter, with ca 50 stamens mostly attached to apex with a few free filaments arising from base of the androecium, reddish-purple. Style very short. Pyxidium 4.5-6.5 cm long, 1.5-3.0 cm broad, the calycine ring indistinct, 0.4-0.8 cm below apex, the pericarp 2.0-3.0 mm thick at apex, the line of opercular dehiscence smooth not toothed; operculum 1.0-1.5 cm diameter.
Discussion:
The wood is much used commercially. The bark is said to have medicinal properties.Cariniana legalis is the only species of the genus in which, in addition to the apical filaments, there are a few distinct solitary filaments arising from the base of the androecium and rising to its apex. In other species all the filaments are either short and attached all over the interior of the androecium, or they are at the apex of the androecium.The lamina base of C. legalis is usually folded inwards providing a character for quick identification of sterile material. Cariniana legalis is a distinct species which is not easily confused with the other species of the genus.In the original description of Couratari legalis Martius did not cite the type, and the Martius herbarium at Bruxelles contains six sheets from various collectors. Knuth (1939b) cited Martius 60 as the type but he apparently only studied the Munich material. In this study the same collection is chosen as the type, but the Bruxelles sheet from the Martius herbarium is the lectotype. Martius herbarium 60 is labelled at Bruxelles as Luschnath 60 and it is probable that Luschnath was the collector of the type. Another apparent duplicate of the same collection at Bruxelles is labelled Herb Martius 20.An interesting anecdote about a tree of C. legalis concerns the very large tree cultivated at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. Albert Einstein was shown the tree and told about its good wood and medicinal properties. He admired the tree so much that he was moved to kneel down and kiss the surface roots of the tree.
The wood is much used commercially. The bark is said to have medicinal properties.Cariniana legalis is the only species of the genus in which, in addition to the apical filaments, there are a few distinct solitary filaments arising from the base of the androecium and rising to its apex. In other species all the filaments are either short and attached all over the interior of the androecium, or they are at the apex of the androecium.The lamina base of C. legalis is usually folded inwards providing a character for quick identification of sterile material. Cariniana legalis is a distinct species which is not easily confused with the other species of the genus.In the original description of Couratari legalis Martius did not cite the type, and the Martius herbarium at Bruxelles contains six sheets from various collectors. Knuth (1939b) cited Martius 60 as the type but he apparently only studied the Munich material. In this study the same collection is chosen as the type, but the Bruxelles sheet from the Martius herbarium is the lectotype. Martius herbarium 60 is labelled at Bruxelles as Luschnath 60 and it is probable that Luschnath was the collector of the type. Another apparent duplicate of the same collection at Bruxelles is labelled Herb Martius 20.An interesting anecdote about a tree of C. legalis concerns the very large tree cultivated at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. Albert Einstein was shown the tree and told about its good wood and medicinal properties. He admired the tree so much that he was moved to kneel down and kiss the surface roots of the tree.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|
Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|
Common Names:
Jequitibá, Jequitibá branco, Jequitibá Vermelho, Jequitiba rosa, Pau carga
Jequitibá, Jequitibá branco, Jequitibá Vermelho, Jequitiba rosa, Pau carga