Cecropia

• Authority

  Berg, Cornelius C. & Franco Rosselli, Pilar. 2005. Cecropia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 94: 1--230. (Published by NYBG Press)

• Family

  Urticaceae

• Scientific Name

  Cecropia

• Type

  Type. C. peltata Linnaeus.

• Synonyms

  Coilotapalus P.Browne, Ambaiba Adans.

• Description

  Genus Description - Tree, dioecious, terrestrial, usually with stilt-roots; internodes (mostly) hollow; sap watery, turning black at exposure to the air. Leaves in spirals; lamina simple, peltate, radially veined and incised; petiole usually with one or two patches of dense indumentum of various trichomes (trichilia) at the base; stipules large, connate, fully amplexicaul, leaving circular scars. Inflorescences axillary, pedunculate digitate clusters of spikes, sometimes 1 spike, (usually) enclosed by a spathe until anthesis. Flowers unisexual, sessile (or short-pedicellate); tepals 2, rarely 3, mostly entirely connate, forming a tubular perianth with a narrow aperture; stamens 2, rarely 3, free; ovary free, stigma penicillate to peltate. Fruit a small achene, often tuberculate, fully enclosed by a fleshy perianth; seed with endosperm; embryo small, with flat cotyledons.