Monographs Details:
Authority:
Gentry, Alwyn H. 1980. Bignoniaceae--Part 1. (Crescentieae and Tourrettieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25: 1-130. (Published by NYBG Press)
Gentry, Alwyn H. 1980. Bignoniaceae--Part 1. (Crescentieae and Tourrettieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25: 1-130. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Bignoniaceae
Bignoniaceae
Synonyms:
Crescentia latifolia Mill., Crescentia cucurbitina L., Crescentia lethifera Tussac, Crescentia toxicaria Tussac, Dendrosicus saxatilis Raf., Crescentia obovata Benth., Crescentia palustris Forsyth ex Seem., Crescentia coriacea Miers, Crescentia cuspidata Miers, Crescentia elongata Miers, Crescentia cucurbitina var. heterophylla Kuntze, Enallagma cucurbitina (L.) Baill. ex Schum., Enallagma obovata (Benth.) Baill. ex K.Schum., Enallagma latifolia (Mill.) Small, Amphitecna obovata (Benth.) L.O.Williams, Dendrosicus latifolius (Mill.) A.H.Gentry
Crescentia latifolia Mill., Crescentia cucurbitina L., Crescentia lethifera Tussac, Crescentia toxicaria Tussac, Dendrosicus saxatilis Raf., Crescentia obovata Benth., Crescentia palustris Forsyth ex Seem., Crescentia coriacea Miers, Crescentia cuspidata Miers, Crescentia elongata Miers, Crescentia cucurbitina var. heterophylla Kuntze, Enallagma cucurbitina (L.) Baill. ex Schum., Enallagma obovata (Benth.) Baill. ex K.Schum., Enallagma latifolia (Mill.) Small, Amphitecna obovata (Benth.) L.O.Williams, Dendrosicus latifolius (Mill.) A.H.Gentry
Description:
Species Description - Small scraggly tree to 10 m tall and 18 cm dbh., the branches usually crooked, the crown open; twigs subterete or 3- or 4-angled with decurrent ridges below the nodes. Leaves simple, alternate to subopposite, obovate, the tip rounded to almost acute, usually apiculate, the base cuneate-attenuate, 7-19 cm long, 3.3-10.6 cm wide, rigid-chartaceous to coriaceous, secondary veins 6-15 on a side, the midvein depressed or plane above, raised below, glabrous beneath, with plate-shaped glands especially at the base, drying grayish-olive to brownish, the petiole poorly defined, more or less winged, 0.2-1.1 cm long, glabrous. Inflorescence a single flower or fascicle of 2-3 flowers borne on the larger twigs, pedicels glabrous, 2.2-3.6 cm long. Flowers with the calyx split into subequal anterior and posterior halves, 2.5-3.7 cm long and 1-2.5 cm wide, essentially glabrous; corolla greenish-white, tubular with a transverse fold midway across the lower side of throat, fleshy, 3.8-6.2 cm long, 1.2-2.4 cm wide at mouth, the tube 2.0-4.0 cm long, the lobes 0.8-1.5 cm long, upper 2 and lower 3 lobes respectively fused, mostly glabrous, stalked-lepidote on the lobes outside and at the level of stamen insertion inside; stamens subexserted, the anther thecae thick, only partially divergent, 5-6 mm long, the filaments 2.4-2.6 cm long, inserted 1.5-2 cm from base of tube, the staminode ca. 10 mm long, inserted ca. 10 mm from base of tube; pistil ca. 5 cm long, the ovary rounded-conical, 4-5 mm long, 3 mm wide, lepidote, the ovules ca. 4-seriate in each locule of an incompletely bilocular ovary, placentation parietal only at extreme apex; disc pulvinate, 2 mm long and 5 mm wide. Fruit a pepo or calabash, more or less spherical when mature, 6-9 cm in diam., glabrous, minutely papillate with scattered sunken plate-shaped glands; seeds thick, corky, 1.3-1.6 cm long and 1.6-1.8 cm wide, without wings.
Species Description - Small scraggly tree to 10 m tall and 18 cm dbh., the branches usually crooked, the crown open; twigs subterete or 3- or 4-angled with decurrent ridges below the nodes. Leaves simple, alternate to subopposite, obovate, the tip rounded to almost acute, usually apiculate, the base cuneate-attenuate, 7-19 cm long, 3.3-10.6 cm wide, rigid-chartaceous to coriaceous, secondary veins 6-15 on a side, the midvein depressed or plane above, raised below, glabrous beneath, with plate-shaped glands especially at the base, drying grayish-olive to brownish, the petiole poorly defined, more or less winged, 0.2-1.1 cm long, glabrous. Inflorescence a single flower or fascicle of 2-3 flowers borne on the larger twigs, pedicels glabrous, 2.2-3.6 cm long. Flowers with the calyx split into subequal anterior and posterior halves, 2.5-3.7 cm long and 1-2.5 cm wide, essentially glabrous; corolla greenish-white, tubular with a transverse fold midway across the lower side of throat, fleshy, 3.8-6.2 cm long, 1.2-2.4 cm wide at mouth, the tube 2.0-4.0 cm long, the lobes 0.8-1.5 cm long, upper 2 and lower 3 lobes respectively fused, mostly glabrous, stalked-lepidote on the lobes outside and at the level of stamen insertion inside; stamens subexserted, the anther thecae thick, only partially divergent, 5-6 mm long, the filaments 2.4-2.6 cm long, inserted 1.5-2 cm from base of tube, the staminode ca. 10 mm long, inserted ca. 10 mm from base of tube; pistil ca. 5 cm long, the ovary rounded-conical, 4-5 mm long, 3 mm wide, lepidote, the ovules ca. 4-seriate in each locule of an incompletely bilocular ovary, placentation parietal only at extreme apex; disc pulvinate, 2 mm long and 5 mm wide. Fruit a pepo or calabash, more or less spherical when mature, 6-9 cm in diam., glabrous, minutely papillate with scattered sunken plate-shaped glands; seeds thick, corky, 1.3-1.6 cm long and 1.6-1.8 cm wide, without wings.
Discussion:
Uses. The fruit is an important food for the paca and is often used medicinally. The seeds are used as a purgative (Duke 4820) and the pulp as a laxative (Leon & Alain, 1957) and remedy for chest infection (Leon & Alain, 1957). The wood is occasionally used for plows and similar construction in Cuba.
Uses. The fruit is an important food for the paca and is often used medicinally. The seeds are used as a purgative (Duke 4820) and the pulp as a laxative (Leon & Alain, 1957) and remedy for chest infection (Leon & Alain, 1957). The wood is occasionally used for plows and similar construction in Cuba.
Distribution:
United States of America North America| Florida United States of America North America| Mexico North America| Tabasco Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Izabal Guatemala Central America| Belize Central America| Belize Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America| Honduras Central America| Atlántida Honduras Central America| Atlantida Honduras Central America| Costa Rica South America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America| Canal Zone Panamá Central America| Colón Panama Central America| Colón Panamá Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Los Santos Panama Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| San Blás Panama Central America| San Blás Panamá Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Cuba South America| La Habana Cuba South America| Isla de Piños Cuba South America| Isla de la Juventud Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Saint Elizabeth Jamaica South America| Saint James Jamaica South America| Hanover Jamaica South America| Saint Ann Jamaica South America| Saint Mary Jamaica South America| Portland Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Nord-Ouest Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Duarte Dominican Republic South America| Espaillat Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America| Río Grande Puerto Rico South America| Fajardo Puerto Rico South America| Luquillo Puerto Rico South America| Moca Puerto Rico South America| Vieques Puerto Rico South America| Dorado Puerto Rico South America| Bayamón Puerto Rico South America| Aguada Puerto Rico South America| Virgin Islands South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Martinique South America| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines South America| Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Carabobo Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Miranda Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Ecuador South America| Esmeraldas Ecuador South America|
United States of America North America| Florida United States of America North America| Mexico North America| Tabasco Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Izabal Guatemala Central America| Belize Central America| Belize Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America| Honduras Central America| Atlántida Honduras Central America| Atlantida Honduras Central America| Costa Rica South America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America| Canal Zone Panamá Central America| Colón Panama Central America| Colón Panamá Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Los Santos Panama Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| San Blás Panama Central America| San Blás Panamá Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Cuba South America| La Habana Cuba South America| Isla de Piños Cuba South America| Isla de la Juventud Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Saint Elizabeth Jamaica South America| Saint James Jamaica South America| Hanover Jamaica South America| Saint Ann Jamaica South America| Saint Mary Jamaica South America| Portland Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Nord-Ouest Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Duarte Dominican Republic South America| Espaillat Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America| Río Grande Puerto Rico South America| Fajardo Puerto Rico South America| Luquillo Puerto Rico South America| Moca Puerto Rico South America| Vieques Puerto Rico South America| Dorado Puerto Rico South America| Bayamón Puerto Rico South America| Aguada Puerto Rico South America| Virgin Islands South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Martinique South America| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines South America| Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Carabobo Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Miranda Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Ecuador South America| Esmeraldas Ecuador South America|
Common Names:
black calabash, magüira, güira de olor, higuerillo, savana calabash, Morito de río, wild calabash, river calabash, mora de costa, jícaro, jicarita, calabacillo de playa, jicaro de estero, wild calabash, tutunuto, calabash tree, mariquita de Maria, totumito, totumillo, totumillo, matecillo, matesillo, matecito, totumito, calabasillo, calabacillo
black calabash, magüira, güira de olor, higuerillo, savana calabash, Morito de río, wild calabash, river calabash, mora de costa, jícaro, jicarita, calabacillo de playa, jicaro de estero, wild calabash, tutunuto, calabash tree, mariquita de Maria, totumito, totumillo, totumillo, matecillo, matesillo, matecito, totumito, calabasillo, calabacillo