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:

Latin Diagnosis - A ceteris generis speciebus foliis serratis et an-droecio valde incurvo differt.

Description - Small to medium-sized trees, 4-20 m tall. Leaf blades elliptic, 8.5-12.5 x 4-7 cm, glabrous, chartaceous, with 7-10 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; base obtuse; margins serrate; petiole 6-10 mm long, narrowly decurrent. Inflorescences racemose, terminal, axillary, or from twigs, unbranched or once-branched, the principal rachis 2-5 cm long; pedicels 3-5 mm long, pubescent. Flowers 2.5-3 cm diam.; calyx with six, widely ovate lobes, 3-5 x 3-5 mm; petals six, widely obovate, 15-24 x 12-18 mm, white; hood of androecium 15 x 20 mm, curved inwards but not forming double coil, the appendages antherless; staminal ring with 280-328 stamens, the filaments 2 mm long, clavate, geniculate, the outermost longer, more robust, and more geniculate than innermost, the anthers 0.5 mm long; hypanthium puberulous, tapered into short pedicel; ovary 4-locular, with 12-30 ovules per locule, these attached at inner margin of septum, the style geniculate, 2.5 mm long. Fruits cylindric, rounded at base, 4-6 x 4-5 cm (excluding operculum), the calycine ring inserted ca. 1 cm below opercular opening, the pericarp smooth, ca. 5 mm thick. Seeds fusiform, with basal aril.

Discussion:

Lecythis serrata is distinguished from all other species of the genus by its serrate leaf margins and cylindric fruit with a smooth exocarp. Lecythis serrata is morphologically similar to L. chartacea.
Distribution:

Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America|

Common Names:

matamata branco