Cariniana multiflora Ducke

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. & Mori, S. A. 1979. Lecythidaceae - Part I. The actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae (Asteranthos, Gustavia, Grias, Allantoma & Cariniana). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-270. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cariniana multiflora Ducke

  • Type

    Type. Ducke RB 23889, Brazil, Amazonas, São Paulo de Olivença, fl (holotype, RB; isotypes, G, K, P, S, U, US; photo, F, US).

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 45.0 m tall, the young branches glabrous. Leaves with laminas oblong to oblong-elliptic, 12.0-23.0 cm long, 4.5-9.0 cm broad, the margins crenulate, abruptly acuminate at apex, the acumen 8.0-13.0 mm long, rounded to subcuneate at base, slightly decurrent onto petiole, glabrous beneath; midrib prominulous above, prominent and glabrous beneath; primary veins 22-40 pairs, without domatia at junction with midrib, prominent on both surfaces, 4.0-7.0(-9.0) mm apart at base; petioles 10.0-20.0 cm long, glabrous, winged, canaliculate. Inflorescences terminal and subterminal panicles to 30.0 cm long, the rachis and branches glabrous, smooth. Flowers sessile. Calyx ca 2.0 mm long, the lobes triangular, small, thick, glabrous on exterior. Petals obovate, ca 7.0 mm long, very thick. The androecium ca 2.0 mm basal diameter, with ca 14 stamens with reflexed filaments. Style short. Ovary trilocular with 10 ovules in each loculus. Pyxidium 12.0-13.0 cm long, ca 3.5 cm broad at apex, the calycine ring 1.0 cm below apex, the pericarp thin at apex, smooth not toothed at line of opercular dehiscence; operculum and seeds not seen.

  • Discussion

    All Brazilian collections cited above are from the immediate vicinity of São Paulo de Olivença. Cariniana multiflora is quite close to C. pachyantha and C. uaupensis, but differs from those species in the inflorescence, the crenate leaf margins and the large number of closely spaced primary leaf veins. It differs from C. decandra in the much larger leaves with more primary veins and crenate margins, and in the larger pyxidium.

    The species Cariniana multiflora, C. decandra, C. kuhlmannii, C. pauciramosa and C. integrifolia form a group of very closely related species which are distinct in a number of small characters only. They share in common very similar flowers with a low number of stamens, but there is considerable variation in inflorescence fruit and leaf characters. The principal differences are given in Table XIV.

  • Common Names

    Enic-nirika, Machimango

  • Distribution

    Forest on non-flooded ground in western Amazonia. Collected in flower October and November.

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