Eschweilera nana (O.Berg) Miers

  • Authority

    Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera nana (O.Berg) Miers

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Mato Grosso: In sandy savanna nr. Camapuan, Oct (fl), Riedel s.n. (holotype, LE fide Berg, n.v.; isotypes, P, photo P at NY).

  • Synonyms

    Lecythis nana O.Berg, Eschweilera trochiformis Miers

  • Description

    Description - Shrubs or small trees, to 15 m tall, often with contorted growth form. Bark thick, corky. Leaf blades widely elliptic, widely oblong or ovate, 8-21 x 6-15 cm, glabrous, coriaceous, with 10-15 pairs of lateral veins, these impressed above; apex acute, shortly acuminate or rounded; base obtuse to rounded; margins entire, with scars of caducous hairs; petiole 5-7 mm long. Inflorescences of simple spikes, terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, the rachis 4-27 cm long, glabrous, with horizontally elongated lenticels. Flowers ca. 5-6 cm diam.; calyx with (5-)6 lobes, the lobes very widely ovate, 9-12 x 8-13 mm, imbricate at bases; petals six, widely obovate, white, less frequently light yellow, 23-40 x 17-31 mm; hood of androecium yellow, 20 x 20 mm, curved inwards but not fully coiled, with angular appendages on upper surface of fold, these mostly without, infrequently with vestigial anthers; staminal ring with 600-700 stamens, the filaments white, clavate, 1.5-2.5 mm long, the anthers yellow, ca. 0.5 mm long; ovary 2-locular, with 2-8 ovules per locule, the style 3-4.5 mm long, not well differentiated from summit of ovary. Fruits turbinate, attenuate at base, flared out at opercular opening, 4-6 x 5-7.5 cm, the pericarp 1-1.5 cm thick; operculum with pronounced umbo. Seeds 3 x 2-2.5 cm, the testa chestnut colored, with impressed veins, the lateral aril restricted to basal half of seed, ca. 10 x 10 mm.

  • Discussion

    Eschweilera nana possesses an androecial hood unlike that of most other species of the genus. It is curved inwards with angular appendages on the upper surface of the inner fold. It does not form the full coil so characteristic of Eschweilera and, in this regard, is similar to those species of Eschweilera from southern Brazil with four petals (E. alvimii, E. compressa, and E. tetrapetala).

    Eschweilera nana resembles Lecythis brancoensis in the savanna-like habitat it occupies, the normally terminal position of its inflorescences, the wide leaves, and the aril which is restricted to the lower part of the seed. Nevertheless, because of its 2-locular ovary and androecial structure, we place this species in Eschweilera.

  • Common Names

    sapucaia, tucari do campo

  • Distribution

    A shrub or small tree widely distributed from 400 to 800 meters in cerrado vegetation of the Planalto and north-eastern Brazil. Flowering collections have been made from Jan to May and from Sep. to Oct.

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