Melicoccus
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2003. Meliococceae (Sapindaceae):
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Family
Sapindaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Melicoccus bijugatus Jacquin. The name is derived from the Latin mel (= honey), and coccus (= berry), in reference to the flavor of the fruit.
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Synonyms
Melicocca L., Casimira Scop., Talisia panamensis Pittier, Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq.
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Description
Genus Description - Small trees. Leaves alternate, pari-pinnately compound, distal leaflet rudimentary or wanting; leaflets 2, 4, or 6, opposite, or less often alternate; rachis winged or nearly cylindric; stipules wanting. Inflorescence of terminal or axillary panicle-shaped thyrses, panicles or racemes. Flowers 4- or 5-merous, actinomorphic, unisexual (the plants dioecious or monoecious); pedicels articulate or not articulate; sepals imbricate, connate at base, shorter or as long as the petals; corolla of distinct petals with imbricate aestivation, inserted on the base of an extrastaminal nectary disc, the petals erect or reflexed, elliptic to obovate, without appendages, the margins sometimes with an elongated projection on each side above the base; nectary disc prominent, annular or lobed; stamens 8, spreading, filaments of equal or unequal length, longer than the petals, glabrous or pubescent, the anthers dorsifixed, elliptic or ovate, retuse at apex; ovary 2 or 3 carpellate, with as many locules as carpels or unilocular, each carpel with a single campylotropous or apotropous ovule, the stigma 2 or 3-lobed to subcapitate, sessile. Fruits baccate, indehiscent, ellipsoid, ovoid, or globose, with leathery mesocarp. Seed 1(-2), with a fleshy, edible testa. Embryo fleshy, lomatorrhizal with straight erect cotyledons of similar size, or notorrhizal, with cotyledons diagonally superimposed, the radicle punctiform or elongated. Pollen colporate, nearly spherical, oblate, isopolar, trangular or trigonous with straight to convex sides.
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Distribution
A genus of ten species native to South America, and Hispaniola.
Argentina South America| Bolivia South America| Brazil South America| Chile South America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Falkland Islands South America| French Guiana South America| Guyana South America| Paraguay South America| Peru South America| Suriname South America| Uruguay South America| Venezuela South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America|