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 - Large trees, 40 m tall, the trunk buttressed for 50-80 cm, the young branches sparsely puberulous, soon becoming glabrous. Leaf blades oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 8-17 x 3-5.3 cm, chartaceous, glabrous above, stellate pubescent beneath, especially near midrib, glabrous towards margins; midrib prominulous above, prominent beneath, stellate pubescent beneath; secondary veins 20-26 pairs, prominulous on both surfaces; apex acuminate, the acumen 4-7 mm long; base cuneate; margins crenulate; petiole 5-9 mm long, tomentellous, lightly winged, especially when young, deeply canaliculate. Stipules lanceolate-linear, inserted 1-2 mm above leaf axils, tomentellous, subpersistent. Inflorescence (only one in bud seen) a terminal, few-flowered raceme, the rachis yellow-brown tomentose; bracts lanceolate, 15-25 mm long, tomentose, bracteoles oblong; pedicels ca. 3 mm long (in bud), 3-channelled, tomentellous. Flowers with hypanthium campanulate, 2 mm long in bud, the lobes ovate, tomentellous on center of exterior, glabrous within, the margins ciliate; androecium glabrous, the exterior of hood with numerous dense echinate appendages; stamens ca. 60, inserted uniformly around staminal ring in 3-4 rows; ovary 3-locular, ovules numerous. Fruits campanulate, slightly angled, appearing triangular in cross section, 9 x 6cm diam. at calycine ring, smooth and crustaceously lenticellate on exterior, 3-5 mm thick, hard and woody, the calycine ring 12-16 mm below apex, the calycine ring an extremely prominent ridge; operculum tack-shaped, 6 cm long, the apex convex, 4.7 cm in diameter, the columella markedly triangular. Seeds oblong-lanceolate, 6-6.5 x 23 cm, symmetrical.
Description - Large trees, 40 m tall, the trunk buttressed for 50-80 cm, the young branches sparsely puberulous, soon becoming glabrous. Leaf blades oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 8-17 x 3-5.3 cm, chartaceous, glabrous above, stellate pubescent beneath, especially near midrib, glabrous towards margins; midrib prominulous above, prominent beneath, stellate pubescent beneath; secondary veins 20-26 pairs, prominulous on both surfaces; apex acuminate, the acumen 4-7 mm long; base cuneate; margins crenulate; petiole 5-9 mm long, tomentellous, lightly winged, especially when young, deeply canaliculate. Stipules lanceolate-linear, inserted 1-2 mm above leaf axils, tomentellous, subpersistent. Inflorescence (only one in bud seen) a terminal, few-flowered raceme, the rachis yellow-brown tomentose; bracts lanceolate, 15-25 mm long, tomentose, bracteoles oblong; pedicels ca. 3 mm long (in bud), 3-channelled, tomentellous. Flowers with hypanthium campanulate, 2 mm long in bud, the lobes ovate, tomentellous on center of exterior, glabrous within, the margins ciliate; androecium glabrous, the exterior of hood with numerous dense echinate appendages; stamens ca. 60, inserted uniformly around staminal ring in 3-4 rows; ovary 3-locular, ovules numerous. Fruits campanulate, slightly angled, appearing triangular in cross section, 9 x 6cm diam. at calycine ring, smooth and crustaceously lenticellate on exterior, 3-5 mm thick, hard and woody, the calycine ring 12-16 mm below apex, the calycine ring an extremely prominent ridge; operculum tack-shaped, 6 cm long, the apex convex, 4.7 cm in diameter, the columella markedly triangular. Seeds oblong-lanceolate, 6-6.5 x 23 cm, symmetrical.
Discussion:
This species is most closely related to Couratari stellata but differs in: the longer, narrower, oblong-lanceolate leaves with a greater number of secondary veins; the fruit which is tapered from the calycine ring to the base and is 6 cm broad at the calycine ring; and the broader seeds (2-3 cm wide). The fruit of C. stellata tapers from near to the mid point and is 3-5 cm wide at the calycine ring and the seeds are 1.3-1.6 cm wide.
This species is most closely related to Couratari stellata but differs in: the longer, narrower, oblong-lanceolate leaves with a greater number of secondary veins; the fruit which is tapered from the calycine ring to the base and is 6 cm broad at the calycine ring; and the broader seeds (2-3 cm wide). The fruit of C. stellata tapers from near to the mid point and is 3-5 cm wide at the calycine ring and the seeds are 1.3-1.6 cm wide.
Distribution:
Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| San Blás Panama Central America|
Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| San Blás Panama Central America|