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)
Family:

Lecythidaceae
Synonyms:

Lecythis compressa Vell., Couratari glabra Cambess., Lecythis glabra (Cambess.) O.Berg, Lecythopsis glabra (Cambess.) O.Berg, Eschweilera angustifolia Mart., Lecythis angustifolia (Mart.) Endl. ex O.Berg, Chytroma incarcerata Miers, Eschweilera guanabarica Miers
Description:

Description - Small trees, to 10 m tall. Leaf blades elliptic, 7-10 x 2.5-4 cm, glabrous, chartaceous, with 912 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; base acute to infrequently obtuse; margins serrate to serrulate, often crisped in herbarium material; petiole 4-8 mm long, very narrowly winged. Inflorescences terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, racemose, the rachis 0.5-2.5 cm long, with 2-5 flowers, the pedicels 3-6 mm long. Flowers ca. 2.5 cm diam.; calyx with five or six lobes, the lobes triangular, unequal, fused at bases, 1.5-2.5 x 3.5 mm, glabrous; petals four, the posterior one cucullate, conforming to androecium in bud, the remaining three very widely obovate, 10-18 x 12-15 mm, white or yellow; hood of androecium 14-17 x 12 mm, not forming complete coil, the appendages fleshy, angular, bearing vestigial anthers; staminal ring with 170-190 stamens, the filaments 1-1.5 mm long, clavate, the anthers 0.5 mm long; hypanthium cuneate; ovary 2-locular, with 4-6 basally attached ovules, the style poorly differentiated, ca. 1 mm long, the summit umbonate. Fruits depressed globose, 4.56 cm; operculum markedly umbonate in young fruit, less so in older fruit. Seeds 8-10 per fruit, 2.5 x 1.5-2 cm.

Discussion:

This species is easily recognized by its unique calyx which is fused at the base into a rim 1 mm high, four petals, androecial hood without a full coil, and vestigial hood anthers.
Distribution:

Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|

Common Names:

ibiribá-rana fide, Sapucaia miuda