Corythophora rimosa subsp. rubra S.A.Mori

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Corythophora rimosa subsp. rubra S.A.Mori

  • Primary Citation

    Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 44: 31. 1987

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Paratype -- S. A. Mori 15010

    Specimen 2: Paratype -- S. A. Mori 15215

    Specimen 3: Paratype -- S. A. Mori 15252

    Specimen 4: Holotype -- S. A. Mori 14746

  • Description

    Author: Scott A. Mori and Ghillean T. Prance

    Type: Type. French Guiana. Saül, Monts La Fumée, 3°37'N, 53°12'W, 19 Aug 1982 (fl), Mori &Boom 14746 (holotype, NY; isotypes, CAY, INPA, K, M, MG, MO, P, U, WIS).

    Description: Petals red or maroon, not in rolled at their margins.

    Common names: None recorded.

    Distribution: Endemic to French Guiana and Amapá, Brazil.

    Ecology: A common, but scattered canopy tree of non-flooded forests often found on ridge tops.

    Phenology: This subspeces flowers most abundantly from Jul through Sep.

    Pollination: In a study of pollination of this subspecies in central French Guiana by Mori & Boeke (1987), the only insect observed to enter the flowers in three hours of observation was the relatively robust Trigona capitata. This bee made frequent visits to the flowers which it entered with its ventral surface toward the androecial hood. It remained within the flowers for up to 15 seconds while it collected yellow (fodder) pollen from the hood anthers. Upon leaving yellow pollen was clearly visible in its corbiculae while white (fertile) pollen from the staminal ring was deposited on the back of its head and dorsal thorax.

    Dispersal: No observations recorded but bats probably eat the arils and disperse the seeds.

    Field characters: A canopy tree with a cylindric trunk; deeply furrowed bark with a red inner bark; red petals with flat margins; cylindric fruits; and seeds with a basal aril.

    Taxonomic notes: See notes under in species page.

    Uses: None recorded.

    Etymology: The name of the subspecies refers to the red petals.

    Acknowledgements: We are grateful to C. A. Gracie and C. M. Potascheff for allowing us to use their images to illustrate the characters of this species.

  • Floras and Monographs

    Corythophora rimosa subsp. rubra S.A.Mori: [Article] 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.

  • Narratives

    Leaf morphology and anatomy of Corythophora rimosa subsp. rubra.

    Inflorescence and flower morphology and anatomy of Corythophora rimosa subsp. rubra.