Lecythis mesophylla S.A.Mori
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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)
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Family
Lecythidaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Panama. Darién: N slope of Cerro Pire, 15 Nov 1967 (empty fr), Mori 364 (holotype, WIS; isotypes, BM, F, GH, MO, NY, UC, US).
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Description
Description - Large trees, to 50 m tall. Bark brown, with vertical fissures, shedding in small flakes. Sap-wood cream-colored, the heartwood red. Leaf blades narrowly ovate to lanceolate or elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 12.5-23.5 x 4.5-8.5 cm, glabrous, chartaceous, with 10-20 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate to attenuate; base acute to obtuse; margins entire to minutely crenulate, inconspicuously crisped; petiole 9-15 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescences unknown. Flowers unknown. Fruits 4-locular, globose to turbinate, 811 x 8.5-11.5 cm, the pericarp smooth, 6-12 mm thick, operculum flat, with spine-tipped umbo. Seeds 3.5-4 x 2.5-3 cm, reddish brown, with 5 longitudinal veins, these raised above surface of testa.
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Discussion
Inflorescences and flowers of L. mesophylla have not yet been collected and therefore its affinities are not positively known. However, it is morphologically similar to L. minor, L. ollaria, and L. tuyrana.
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Common Names
coco cristal
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Distribution
This species has been collected from lowland moist forests in the Magdalena Valley of Colombia, the Darién of Panama, and the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. Mature fruits have been collected in Oct.
Costa Rica South America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Santander Colombia South America|