Monographs Details:
Authority:
Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)
Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Lecythidaceae
Lecythidaceae
Synonyms:
Couroupita elata A.C.Sm., Couroupita amazonica R.Knuth
Couroupita elata A.C.Sm., Couroupita amazonica R.Knuth
Description:
Description - Trees, to 55 m tall, the young branches glabrous or sparsely puberulous-glabrescent. Leaves in terminal clusters of 9-40, the blades narrowly oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, 7.5-26 x 2.3-7.5 cm at broadest point 1.5-5 cm below apex, chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, glabrous above, glabrous beneath except for hirsute masses in axils of primary veins, the midrib more or less plane above, prominent and sparsely puberulous or glabrous beneath; lateral veins 16-22 pairs, plane above, prominent and glabrous beneath; apex rounded to bluntly acute at apex; base cuneate; margins entire, with minute glandular protrusions at primary nerve endings; petioles 1.5-3.8 cm long, terete, flattened above, not winged, glabrous or sparsely puberulous. Inflorescences ramiflorous or cauliflorous, racemose, the rachis glabrous, 7-180 cm long, pedicels 2-8 mm long, glabrous. Flowers 2-3 cm diam.; Calyx-lobes triangular, 1-5 mm long, glabrous on exterior; petals oblong, 14-30 mm long, glabrous except for scattered hairs on margin, pale white, yellow, or yellow tinted pink on exterior; staminal ring 10-13 mm wide, with ca. 450 stamens, the hood yellow, with distinct V-shaped notch at apex, with ca. 45-50 stamens at apex; hypanthium obconical, campanulate, 4-5 mm long, the style minute, not well-differentiated from summit of ovary. Fruits roundish, ca. 10-13 x 9-13 cm, the exocarp crustaceous, smooth, the calycine ring 7 cm diam., inserted ca. 1 cm below apex, with inconspicuous remnants of Calyx-lobes persisting, the pulp sweet and nauseous smelling when fresh, sponge-like when dry. Seeds densely hirsute on exterior.
Description - Trees, to 55 m tall, the young branches glabrous or sparsely puberulous-glabrescent. Leaves in terminal clusters of 9-40, the blades narrowly oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, 7.5-26 x 2.3-7.5 cm at broadest point 1.5-5 cm below apex, chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, glabrous above, glabrous beneath except for hirsute masses in axils of primary veins, the midrib more or less plane above, prominent and sparsely puberulous or glabrous beneath; lateral veins 16-22 pairs, plane above, prominent and glabrous beneath; apex rounded to bluntly acute at apex; base cuneate; margins entire, with minute glandular protrusions at primary nerve endings; petioles 1.5-3.8 cm long, terete, flattened above, not winged, glabrous or sparsely puberulous. Inflorescences ramiflorous or cauliflorous, racemose, the rachis glabrous, 7-180 cm long, pedicels 2-8 mm long, glabrous. Flowers 2-3 cm diam.; Calyx-lobes triangular, 1-5 mm long, glabrous on exterior; petals oblong, 14-30 mm long, glabrous except for scattered hairs on margin, pale white, yellow, or yellow tinted pink on exterior; staminal ring 10-13 mm wide, with ca. 450 stamens, the hood yellow, with distinct V-shaped notch at apex, with ca. 45-50 stamens at apex; hypanthium obconical, campanulate, 4-5 mm long, the style minute, not well-differentiated from summit of ovary. Fruits roundish, ca. 10-13 x 9-13 cm, the exocarp crustaceous, smooth, the calycine ring 7 cm diam., inserted ca. 1 cm below apex, with inconspicuous remnants of Calyx-lobes persisting, the pulp sweet and nauseous smelling when fresh, sponge-like when dry. Seeds densely hirsute on exterior.
Discussion:
This species was very poorly known until 1977, when we sampled trees along the Amazon River from Manaus, Brazil to Iquitos, Peru. Ducke was the first to point out that Couroupita elata is synonymous with C. subsessilis. While the type of C. amazonica looks distinct from the type of C. subsessilis, our field work has shown that there is a complete intergradation of the characters that were believed to separate the two species. In fact, leaves resembling both types can be found on the same tree. Couroupita subsessilis is abundant along the Amazon river from Iquitos to Manaus, and also occurs further east to near Santarem. Couroupita subsessilis differs from the other species in its narrowly oblanceolate or lanceolate leaves, shorter pedicels, smaller androecium with a V-shaped cleft in the hood, and in its slightly smaller fruit.The inflorescences are borne primarily on the trunk and largest woody branches of older trees. They keep growing indeterminately for many years, regularly producing flowers at the apex. The largest inflorescence branch measured by us was 180 cm long. The floral parts of this species turn bluish-green when crushed or bruised in a way similar to various species of Lecythis (Prance & Mori, 1977). The indehiscent fruits of this species fall to the ground and are frequently found under the parent tree rotting with the seeds germinating in the pulp. The pulp smells sweet but nauseating and does not taste good. It is used by native people along the Amazon for chicken and pig food.The flowers of this species are visited by small bees (Mori et al., 1978) and wasps (Prance, 1976).
This species was very poorly known until 1977, when we sampled trees along the Amazon River from Manaus, Brazil to Iquitos, Peru. Ducke was the first to point out that Couroupita elata is synonymous with C. subsessilis. While the type of C. amazonica looks distinct from the type of C. subsessilis, our field work has shown that there is a complete intergradation of the characters that were believed to separate the two species. In fact, leaves resembling both types can be found on the same tree. Couroupita subsessilis is abundant along the Amazon river from Iquitos to Manaus, and also occurs further east to near Santarem. Couroupita subsessilis differs from the other species in its narrowly oblanceolate or lanceolate leaves, shorter pedicels, smaller androecium with a V-shaped cleft in the hood, and in its slightly smaller fruit.The inflorescences are borne primarily on the trunk and largest woody branches of older trees. They keep growing indeterminately for many years, regularly producing flowers at the apex. The largest inflorescence branch measured by us was 180 cm long. The floral parts of this species turn bluish-green when crushed or bruised in a way similar to various species of Lecythis (Prance & Mori, 1977). The indehiscent fruits of this species fall to the ground and are frequently found under the parent tree rotting with the seeds germinating in the pulp. The pulp smells sweet but nauseating and does not taste good. It is used by native people along the Amazon for chicken and pig food.The flowers of this species are visited by small bees (Mori et al., 1978) and wasps (Prance, 1976).
Distribution:
Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|
Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|
Common Names:
ayahuma, Castanheira do macaco, cuia de macaco, caeté de macaco
ayahuma, Castanheira do macaco, cuia de macaco, caeté de macaco