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
Description:
Description - Trees, to 30 m tall, with large leaves clustered at the ends of stout branches. Leaf blades petiolate or sessile, oblanceolate or spathulate, 26-167 x 4-41 cm, glabrous or infrequently pubescent on abaxial surface, with inconspicuous papillae or punctate on abaxial surface, coriaceous, with 11-86 pairs of lateral veins; apices acuminate or attenuate; bases cuneate, narrowly cuneate or auriculate, often decurrent; margins entire or infrequently serrate, slightly revolute, with inconspicuous reddish-brown scars representing attachment of caducous marginal teeth; leaves at end of growth flush often smaller, with fewer pairs of lateral veins, more sessile, and more auriculate at base than leaves at beginning and middle of flush. Inflorescences on trunk or branches, infrequently in axils of lowermost leaves, distinct racemes or fascicles, when racemose the rachis several to 350 mm long; pedicels with a single triangular, ovate, or oblong basal bract, 1-13 x 1-9 mm and two well developed (G. neu-berthii) or scarcely developed and scale-like bracteoles (remaining species) inserted from directly under the hypanthium to at the base of the pedicel. Flowers 2.5-8 cm in diam.; calyx of 4 distinct lobes, of 2-4 irregular lobes or an entire rim at anthesis, in bud with 4 distinct lobes or enclosed except for an apical pore or completely enclosed, the completely enclosed bud with circumscissile dehiscence or splitting into 2-4 irregular lobes; petals 4, thick and fleshy, cucullate or flat, ascending or spreading at anthesis, 10-35 x 6-27 mm, white or yellow; androecium symmetrical, the connate androecial base 1-9 mm high; stamens 85-210, in 3 to 5 concentric rings, curved inwards, the filaments fleshy, angular, constricted at the apex, the outermost filaments 6-15 mm, the inner ones progressively smaller, the anthers small, 0.5-1.0 mm, the anther sacs divergent, extending below point of filament attachment, i e versatile, with lateral dehiscence; ovary 4-locular, each locule with 2-4 ovules, the ovules pendant, attached to the septum at or towards the apex of the locule; style lacking or short, conical, 1-2.5 mm; stigma with 4 lines. Fruits indehiscent, fusiform or pyriform, 38-120 x 22-60 mm, the mesocarp with 8-10 ribs, these best seen in cross section. Seeds fusiform, 1 per fruit, 30-51 mm long, without cotyledons, retained with the fruit, penetrating the pericarp upon germination, x = 17.
Description - Trees, to 30 m tall, with large leaves clustered at the ends of stout branches. Leaf blades petiolate or sessile, oblanceolate or spathulate, 26-167 x 4-41 cm, glabrous or infrequently pubescent on abaxial surface, with inconspicuous papillae or punctate on abaxial surface, coriaceous, with 11-86 pairs of lateral veins; apices acuminate or attenuate; bases cuneate, narrowly cuneate or auriculate, often decurrent; margins entire or infrequently serrate, slightly revolute, with inconspicuous reddish-brown scars representing attachment of caducous marginal teeth; leaves at end of growth flush often smaller, with fewer pairs of lateral veins, more sessile, and more auriculate at base than leaves at beginning and middle of flush. Inflorescences on trunk or branches, infrequently in axils of lowermost leaves, distinct racemes or fascicles, when racemose the rachis several to 350 mm long; pedicels with a single triangular, ovate, or oblong basal bract, 1-13 x 1-9 mm and two well developed (G. neu-berthii) or scarcely developed and scale-like bracteoles (remaining species) inserted from directly under the hypanthium to at the base of the pedicel. Flowers 2.5-8 cm in diam.; calyx of 4 distinct lobes, of 2-4 irregular lobes or an entire rim at anthesis, in bud with 4 distinct lobes or enclosed except for an apical pore or completely enclosed, the completely enclosed bud with circumscissile dehiscence or splitting into 2-4 irregular lobes; petals 4, thick and fleshy, cucullate or flat, ascending or spreading at anthesis, 10-35 x 6-27 mm, white or yellow; androecium symmetrical, the connate androecial base 1-9 mm high; stamens 85-210, in 3 to 5 concentric rings, curved inwards, the filaments fleshy, angular, constricted at the apex, the outermost filaments 6-15 mm, the inner ones progressively smaller, the anthers small, 0.5-1.0 mm, the anther sacs divergent, extending below point of filament attachment, i e versatile, with lateral dehiscence; ovary 4-locular, each locule with 2-4 ovules, the ovules pendant, attached to the septum at or towards the apex of the locule; style lacking or short, conical, 1-2.5 mm; stigma with 4 lines. Fruits indehiscent, fusiform or pyriform, 38-120 x 22-60 mm, the mesocarp with 8-10 ribs, these best seen in cross section. Seeds fusiform, 1 per fruit, 30-51 mm long, without cotyledons, retained with the fruit, penetrating the pericarp upon germination, x = 17.
Distribution:
Central America| Jamaica South America| Central America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America|
Central America| Jamaica South America| Central America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America|