Eschweilera amazonica R.Knuth
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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)
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Family
Lecythidaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Brazil. Amazonas: Lower Rio Negro, Uipiranga, Dec 1923 (fl), /. G. Kuhlmann 1007 (holotype, B, not extant; lectotype, RB.21510, here designated; isolectotypes, IAN, photo IAN at NY, INPA, RB 4 sheets, RB-carpoteca 844, photo RB-carpoteca 844 at NY).
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Description
Description - Small to medium-sized trees, to 20 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark with shallow longitudinal fissures, flaking, slash brown. Leaf blades oblong-elliptic, 5-15 x 2-6 cm, glabrous, thinly coriaceous, with 10-20 pairs of lateral veins, plane above, prominulous beneath, the midrib prominent on both surfaces; apex acuminate, the acumen 3-15 mm long; base subcuneate; margins slightly undulate, with minute glands at termination of veinlets; petiole 5-10 mm long, terete, glabrous, very slightly winged. Inflorescences axillary, racemose, the rachis tortuous (zig-zag), 25 cm long, sparsely puberulous; pedicels jointed, the pedicel bases persisting as short knobs 1-2 mm long, the flowers sessile above joint. Flowers 2.5-3 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes ovate, 4-5 x 4-5 mm, slightly erect, clearly imbricate, more or less plane in cross section; petals six, irregularly elliptic, yellow, 17-25 x 13-18 mm; hood of androecium yellow, 7-12 x 22-27 mm, doubly coiled, the second coil with dense mass of appendages on lower surface, the appendages bright yellow; staminal ring with ca. 300 stamens in 4-6 rows on outside and more rows on ligular side, extending up the ligule in scattered groups to 17 mm from base, the filaments clavate, 0.5-1 mm long, the anthers 0.4 mm long; ovary 2-locular, each locule with numerous (ca. 28) ovules on placenta on lower part of septum, the summit umbonate, 2-3 mm high, the style not well differentiated. Fruits large, campanulate or cylindric, 5-9.5 x 4.5-7.5 cm, the calycine ring inserted 5-20 mm below opercular opening, with prominent protruding calyx-lobe scars, the pericarp to 20 mm thick, the exterior surface conspicuously reticulate, uneven, with longitudinally striate pattern, the interior surface smooth; operculum concave, usually slightly umbonate, 3-6 cm diam., 1-2 cm high. Seeds 7-10, flattened, markedly angular, obovoid, tapering toward base, attached at base by fleshy funicle-aril, to 5 x 8 mm when dry.
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Discussion
This species is characterized by its large, thick, campanulate or cylindric fruits with a distinctive reticulate exterior and by its seeds which have a basal funicle-aril similar to that of Lecythis. Another useful feature for identification of this species is the rough, light brown hypanthium which differs from the smooth, black sepals. The fruits are remarkably similar in shape to those of Corythophora alta and C. rimosa. Nevertheless, the 2-locular ovary and the coiled androecial hood place this species in Eschweilera.
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Common Names
matamatá preto, matamataci
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Distribution
A rather infrequent species of non-flooded forest widely distributed in Central and Eastern Brazilian Amazonia. It flowers from Nov to Jan and mature fruit has been collected from Aug to Nov.
Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|