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
Description:
Description - Canopy or infrequently understory, trees. Bark with or without vertical fissures. Leaves medium-sized, 8-30 x 4-11 cm, never densely congested at branch ends. Inflorescences terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, simple racemes or paniculate arrangements of racemes with 2 to 3 orders of branching. Flowers zygomorphic, 2-4 cm diam.; calyx of six lobes, these without mucilage-bearing ducts; petals six; hood of androecium flat, slightly or markedly dorsiventrally expanded, the appendages mostly fused or free, with or without anthers; staminal ring with 40-230 stamens, the anthers 0.3-0.5 mm long, dehiscing via lateral slits; ovary 2-5-locular, each locule with 4-26 ovules attached to floor of locule or lower part of septum, the summit umbonate or truncate, the style well differentiated or not differentiated from summit, when differentiated 1.8- 5 mm long. Fruits woody, dehiscent, campanulate, cylindric or turbinate, 2.5-15 x 2.5-10 cm. Seeds elongate, with basal aril. X = 17.
Description - Canopy or infrequently understory, trees. Bark with or without vertical fissures. Leaves medium-sized, 8-30 x 4-11 cm, never densely congested at branch ends. Inflorescences terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, simple racemes or paniculate arrangements of racemes with 2 to 3 orders of branching. Flowers zygomorphic, 2-4 cm diam.; calyx of six lobes, these without mucilage-bearing ducts; petals six; hood of androecium flat, slightly or markedly dorsiventrally expanded, the appendages mostly fused or free, with or without anthers; staminal ring with 40-230 stamens, the anthers 0.3-0.5 mm long, dehiscing via lateral slits; ovary 2-5-locular, each locule with 4-26 ovules attached to floor of locule or lower part of septum, the summit umbonate or truncate, the style well differentiated or not differentiated from summit, when differentiated 1.8- 5 mm long. Fruits woody, dehiscent, campanulate, cylindric or turbinate, 2.5-15 x 2.5-10 cm. Seeds elongate, with basal aril. X = 17.
Discussion:
Taxonomic History of CorythophoraKnuth (1939) established Corythophora because all the appendages of the androecial hood of the type species (C. alta) possess anthers. Most species of Lecythis lack hood anthers or, if they are present, not all of the appendages possess them. He separated Corythophora from Couroupita by its dehiscent versus indehiscent fruits. It wasn’t until Rodrigues (1974) described the closely related C. rimosa that another species with the same floral structure as that of C. alta was discovered.Recently, Dr. J. M. Pires of the Museu Goeldi, discovered a third species that shares many features with C. alta and C. rimosa. However, it differs by having antherless, nearly adnate hood appendages, a feature which makes the hood appear dorsoventrally expanded in medial section. This species has been described as C. amapaensis (Mori, 1981a). A fourth species, C. labriculata, originally described as Eschweilera (Eyma, 1932), is identical to C. amapaensis in androecial structure but may have a few vestigial anthers on the hood.
Taxonomic History of CorythophoraKnuth (1939) established Corythophora because all the appendages of the androecial hood of the type species (C. alta) possess anthers. Most species of Lecythis lack hood anthers or, if they are present, not all of the appendages possess them. He separated Corythophora from Couroupita by its dehiscent versus indehiscent fruits. It wasn’t until Rodrigues (1974) described the closely related C. rimosa that another species with the same floral structure as that of C. alta was discovered.Recently, Dr. J. M. Pires of the Museu Goeldi, discovered a third species that shares many features with C. alta and C. rimosa. However, it differs by having antherless, nearly adnate hood appendages, a feature which makes the hood appear dorsoventrally expanded in medial section. This species has been described as C. amapaensis (Mori, 1981a). A fourth species, C. labriculata, originally described as Eschweilera (Eyma, 1932), is identical to C. amapaensis in androecial structure but may have a few vestigial anthers on the hood.
Distribution:
Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America|
Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America|