Licania rigida Benth.

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9: 1-410. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Licania rigida Benth.

  • Type

    Type. Gardner 1592, Brazil, Ceará, fl (holotype, K; isotypes, BM, F, G, GH, NY OXF, P, US).

  • Synonyms

    Pleragina umbrosissima Arruda

  • Description

    Description - Small tree to 15.0 m tall, with spreading crown, the young branches lanate to tomentellous, soon becoming glabrous and lenticellate. Leaves oblong to elliptic, 6.0-13.0(-16.0) cm long, 2.8-6.5 cm broad, coriaceous, rounded to retuse at apex, rounded to cordate at base, glabrous and shining on upper surface, the lower surface with deeply reticulate venation quite or nearly describing stomatal cavities, with lanate pubescence among but not on venation; midrib prominulous above, puberulous towards base when young; primary veins 11-16 pairs, prominent on lower surface, prominulous above; petioles 5.0-8.0 cm long, tomentose when young, becoming glabrescent with age, terete, with two sessile glands. Stipules linear, to 10.0 mm long, membraneous, caducous. Inflorescences racemose panicles, the rachis and branches gray-tomentose. Flowers 2.5-3.5 mm long, in small groups, sessile on primary branches of inflorescence. Bracts and bracteoles 1.5-2.5 mm long, ovate, tomentose on exterior, persistent, entire to serrulate, eglandular. Receptacle campanulate, gray-tomentose on exterior, tomentose within; pedicels to 0.5 mm long. Calyx lobes acute, tomentose on exterior, tomentellous within. Petals 5, densely pubescent. Stamens ca 14; filaments equalling calyx lobes, connate to about half way from base, densely pubescent. Ovary attached to base of receptacle, villous. Style equalling calyx lobes, villous nearly to apex. Fruit elliptic, 4.0-5.5 cm long; epicarp smooth, drying green or black; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, fibrous, fragile, fibers arranged longitudinally promoting longitudinal dehiscence, sparsely pubescent within.

  • Discussion

    Licania rigida is grown for its seeds from which oil is extracted. The oil is used as a substitute for tung oil in paint (Bull. Imp. Inst. 44: 15. 1946). Brazil exported 16,606 metric tons in 1941. The kernels contain 61% oil, which is extracted with petrol ether (see also Tropenflanzer 206-210. 1931). The wood is also used for building purposes. This species is cultivated outside its natural range, eg in Trinidad, (Prance 2113A fl, NY), but is not used commercially outside Brazil.

  • Common Names

    Oiticica

  • Distribution

    Dry forest and gallery forest of northeastern Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Piauí Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America| Rio Grande do Norte Brazil South America| Paraíba Brazil South America|