Caryocar gracile Wittm.

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. & Frietas Da Silva, Marlene. 1973. Caryocaraceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 12: 1-75. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Caryocaraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Caryocar gracile Wittm.

  • Type

    TYPE. Spruce 2550, Brazil, Amazonas, Rio Uaupés, Panuré, fl (holotype B, lost; photos, F, MO; lectotype, OXF; isotypes, BM, C, CGE, F, G, GH, GOET, K, LD, LE, NY, RB, P).

  • Synonyms

    Caryocar krukovii Gilg

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 30.0 m tall, the young branches glabrous. Leaves trifoliolate; petioles 2.0-5.5 cm long, glabrous, terete; leaflets shortly petiolulate, the terminal petiolule 0.3-1.4 cm long, the lateral petiolules slightly shorter than the terminal one, the petiolules glabrous, terete to shallowly canaliculate; the laminas oblong to oblong-elliptic, acuminate at apex, the acumen 1.0-5.0 mm long, rounded to subcuneate at base, often slightly unequal, crenulate to entire at margins, glabrous above, glabrous beneath or with few villous hairs at junction between primary veins and midrib, the terminal lamina 4.5-12.5 cm long, 2.5-7.0 cm broad, the lateral laminas equal or smaller than the terminal one; primary veins 6-9 pairs, prominulous above, prominent beneath; venation plane to prominulous beneath; stipels absent. Peduncles 4.0-6.5 cm long, glabrous, terete, lenticellate. Inflorescences elongate racemes, the rachis 6.0-14.0 cm long, glabrous, lenticellate; flowering pedicels 7.0-17.0 mm long, glabrous, ebracteolate. Calyx cupuliform, 4.0-6.0 mm long, glabrous on exterior, the lobes 5, rounded, the margins ciliate. Corolla 1.0-1.3 cm long, the lobes 5, elliptic, rose-pink. Stamens numerous, over 400 average number 509, the filaments shortly united at base only, but not in groups, not caducous, white or slightly pink at base only, of very varied length, the outermost to 2.2 cm long, the apical part distinctly tuberculate, the innermost only 0.5 cm long, with all intermediate lengths in between, the smallest tuberculate most of length, the anthers small. Ovary globose, glabrous, 3(-4) locular. Styles 2-3-filamentous, exceeding filaments in length, glabrous. Fruit (endocarp only seen) with endocarp ca 3.5 cm long, 4.5 cm broad, the exterior of endocarp with numerous spinous protrusions, the spines longer and thinner towards the base, the inner portion ca 1.5 mm thick, very hard, glabrous within.

  • Discussion

    USES. The leaves used as a poison for killing dogs by the Tukanos Indians. The leaves are mashed into a paste and eaten by the dogs since the Indians believe that dogs should have a slow death and with this species it takes up to a week for a dog to die.

    Wittmack tentatively cited a second Spruce number, 1872, in his original description of C. gracile. Spruce 1872 is in fact C. microcarpum. Since Wittmack’s description was based on Spruce 2550 this does not affect the typification of C. gracile.

    Caryocar gracile is easily distinguished from related species by the elongate inflorescence and the small flowers.

    Collected in flower September to December and once in March.

  • Distribution

    Forest on non-flooded ground in western Amazonian Brazil and adjacent Colombia and Venezuela.

    Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Guainía Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America|