Licania arborea Seem.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Licania arborea Seem.

  • Type

    Type. Cuming nog, Panama, fl (BM, K, MO).

  • Synonyms

    Licania seleriana Loes., Licania retusa Pilg., Licania bullatifolia Cuatrec.

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 20.0 m tall, the young branches pubescent, soon becoming glabrous. Leaves ovate-orbicular to oblong, 5.0-12.0 cm long, 2.5-8.0 cm broad on fertile branches (usually much larger on sterile branches), glabrous and shining above, lower surface with deep reticulation quite or nearly describing stomatal cavities, lanate-pubescent among venation, sometimes with dense lanate pubescence obscuring venation when young, obtuse, rounded, or retuse at apex, cordate to rounded at base; midrib prominulous above, glabrous; primary veins n-18 pairs, prominent beneath, slightly impressed above; petioles 5.0-12.0 mm long, terete, tomentose when young, glabrescent, with two sessile glands near lower surface of lamina. Stipules to 3.0 mm long, linear, intrapetiolar, membraneous, caducous. Inflorescences terminal and axillary racemose panicles, the rachis and branches densely brown to ferrugineous-tomentose. Flowers 2.5-3.0 mm long, solitary and densely clustered on primary and secondary branches of inflorescence. Bracts and bracteoles deltoid to lanceolate, to 1.5 mm long, persistent, tomentose on exterior, puberulous within, entire to serrulate, eglandular. Receptacle campanulate, sessile, tomentose on exterior, villous within. Calyx lobes acute, tomentose on both surfaces. Petals 5, small, oblong, pubescent. Stamens 8-12, inserted in a complete circle; filaments equalling calyx lobes, connate in groups for half their length, densely villous. Ovary inserted at base of receptacle, densely pilose. Style equalling filaments, pilose throughout. Fruit oblong, to 3.0 cm long; epicarp smooth and glabrous, drying black or green; mesocarp thin and fleshy; endocarp thin, soft and fibrous, fibers arranged longitudinally, glabrous within.

  • Discussion

    This species has durable wood which is used in general construction. The fruit, rich in an inflammable oil, is often strung on sticks for illuminating purposes. The oil is extracted in large quantities for use in candles, soap, axle grease etc (see Standi., Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb, 23: 343. 1922.)

    Licania seleriana was described by Loesner because it differed from L. arborea in the less pubescent leaf underside and the caducous petals. L. seleriana was later reduced to synonymy by Standley (1922), although he admitted that he did not see authentic material of it. It was restored to specific rank by Cuatrecasas (1950), but no detailed reasons were given for regarding L. seleriana as a distinct species. On the basis of the generous material examined in this study, I find that there is a complete range in the pubescence of the lamina lower surface and in the time of dehiscence of the petals between L. arborea and L. seleriana, and that these two characters are not correlated with one another nor with the additional small differences between the type specimens of the two species. Consequently I treat L. seleriana as a synonym of L. arborea. Furthermore, I have examined carefully the types of two South American names, L. bullatifolia and L. retusa, and can find no consistent differences to separate them from L. arborea. In the original description L. bullatifolia was distinguished by the bullate leaves with a much deeper basal sinus. Several of the Central American collections of L. arborea show a tendency to bullate leaves and an equally deep basal sinus (eg Allen 1741 from Panama). The flowers of this species are interesting because of the filaments which are connate in groups and densely pubescent. The species most closely related to L. arborea is L. rigida from the northeast of Brazil, differing in the pubescence of the inflorescence and leaves, the slightly impressed leaf venation, and the shorter rounder fruit. The flowers and fruit of these two species are very similar. The fruit is rich in oil, and is used commercially in both regions. Perhaps the rather unusual distribution of L. arborea derives from its cultivation for economic purposes.

  • Common Names

    Cacahuananche, Cacahuate, Cacahoanantzin, Quirindol cacahuananche, Cana dulce, Frailecillo, Palo de fraile, Totopostle, Encina, Roble, Canilla mula, Alcornoque, Rasca

  • Distribution

    Dry plains, slopes, and scrub forest, through Central America from Mexico to Panama, and infrequent in South America in Colombia and Peru.

    Mexico North America| Michoacán Mexico North America| México Mexico North America| Morelos Mexico North America| Guerrero Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Bolívar Colombia South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America|