Overview
The Lecythidaceae comprise a family of about 20 genera and 250-300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America and Madagascar.
According to the most recent molecular analysis of Lecythidaceae (Mori, S. A., C.-C. Tsou, C.-C. Wu, B. Cronholm & A. Anderberg. 2007. Evolution of Lecythidaceae with an emphasis on the circumscription of Neotropical genera: information from combined ndhF and trnL-F sequence data. Amer. J. Bot. 94(3): 289-301) there are three subfamilies:
- Foetidioideae (). Madagascar. Includes only Foetidia.
- Planchonioideae (including Barringtoniaceae). Restricted to the Old World tropics.
- Lecythidoideae (Lecythidaceae). Restricted to the New World tropics.
In the Mori et al. (2007) study, two other families sometimes included in Lecythidaceae, the Scytopetalaceae and Napoleonaeaceae are hypothesized as most closely related to Lecythidaceae.
More detailed information about Lecythidaceae, especially the New World taxa, can be found at the Lecythidaceae Pages.
The most important member of the family in world trade is the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa), valued for its edible nuts; the Paradise nut (Lecythis species) is also eaten.
The APG II system of 2003 includes genera from the family Scytopetalaceae in the Lecythidaceae, including Rhaptopetalum and Brazzeia.
- Abdulmajidia Whitmore, also as Barringtoniaceae sensu Takhtajan 1997 [1]
- Allantoma Miers
- Asteranthos Desf., also as Asteranthaceae [1]
- Barringtonia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Bertholletia Bonpl.
- Careya Roxb., also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Cariniana Casar.
- Chydenanthus Miers, also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Corythophora R.Knuth
- Couratari Aubl.
- Couroupita Aubl.
- Crateranthus Baker f., incertae sedis according Takhtajan, perhaps Napoleonaeaceae [1]
- Eschweilera Mart. ex DC.
- Foetidia Comm. ex Lam., also as Foetidiaceae [1]
- Grias L.
- Gustavia L.
- Lecythis Loefl.
- Napoleonaea P.Beauv., also as Napoleonaeaceae [1]
- Petersianthus Merr., also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Planchonia Blume, also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
In the Mori et al. (2007) study, two other families sometimes included in Lecythidaceae, the Scytopetalaceae and Napoleonaeaceae are hypothesized as most closely related to Lecythidaceae.
More detailed information about Lecythidaceae, especially the New World taxa, can be found at the Lecythidaceae Pages.
The most important member of the family in world trade is the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa), valued for its edible nuts; the Paradise nut (Lecythis species) is also eaten.
The APG II system of 2003 includes genera from the family Scytopetalaceae in the Lecythidaceae, including Rhaptopetalum and Brazzeia.
- Abdulmajidia Whitmore, also as Barringtoniaceae sensu Takhtajan 1997 [1]
- Allantoma Miers
- Asteranthos Desf., also as Asteranthaceae [1]
- Barringtonia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Bertholle tia Bonpl.
- Careya Roxb., also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Cariniana Casar.
- Chydenanthus Miers, also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Corythophora R.Knuth
- Couratari Aubl.
- Couroupita Aubl.
- Crateranthus Baker f., incertae sedis according Takhtajan, perhaps Napoleonaeaceae [1]
- Eschweilera Mart. ex DC.
- Foetidia Comm. ex Lam., also as Foetidiaceae [1]
- Grias L.
- Gustavia L.
- Lecythis Loefl.
- Napoleonaea P.Beauv., also as Napoleonaeaceae [1]
- Petersianthus Merr., also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
- Planchonia Blume, also as Barringtoniaceae [1]
References
External links
- Lecythidaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com
- Barringtoniaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com
- Foetidiaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com
- Asteranthaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com
- Napoleonaeaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com
- The Lecythidaceae Pages by Scott A. Mori and Ghillean T. Prance
Taxonomy
The Family Lecythidaceae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Subfamily (5): Foetidioideae · Lecythidoideae · Napoleonaeoideae · Planchonioideae · Scytopetaloideae
- Tribe (6): Bertholletieae · Couratarieae · Couroupiteae · Griadeae · Lecythideae · Mentheae
- Genus (47): Abdulmajidia · Allantoma · Amphoricarpus · Barringtonia · Bertholletia · Brazzeia · Butonica · Butonicoides · Careya · Cariniana · Chydenanthus · Chytroma · Combretodendron · Commersona · Corythophora · Couratari · Couroupita · Crateranthus · Cumbia · Eschweilera · Eschweileria · Eschweillera · Foetidia · Goeldinia · Grias · Gustavia · Holopyxidium · Huttum · Japarandiba · Jugastrum · Lecythis · Lecythopsis · Michelia · Napoleana · Napoleona · Napoleonaea · Oubanguia · Pachylecythis · Petersia · Petersianthus · Pierrina · Pirigara · Planchonia · Rhaptopetalum · Sapucaya · Scytopetalum · Stravadium
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1,094 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in the Family Lecythidaceae.
Genera
Abdulmajidia
Abdulmajidia is a genus in the Lecythidaceae family, consists of two species from Malay Peninsula, listed as endangered species. Abdulmajidia is also placed in some authors (Takhtajan system). [more]
Allantoma
Amphoricarpus
Barringtonia
Barringtonia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae. A common name is cornbeefwood. Bengali name is "Hijalna". [more]
Bertholletia
The Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) is a South American tree in the family Lecythidaceae, and also the name of the tree's commercially harvested edible seed. [more]
Brazzeia
Brazzeia is a of plant in family Lecythidaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]
Butonica
Butonicoides
Careya
Cariniana
Cariniana (Jequitiba) is a genus of trees in the family Lecythidaceae, native to South America. Many are of importance for timber production. [more]
Chydenanthus
Chytroma
Combretodendron
Commersona
Corythophora
Corythophora is a genus of in the Lecythidaceae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Couratari
Couratari is a genus of in the family Lecythidaceae, native to tropical South America. They are large trees,often rising above the rainforest canopy. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, elliptical, up to 15 cm long, with a serrate to serrulate margin. Vernation lines parallel to the midvein are often visible - a very unusual characteristic. The fruit is 6-15 cm long, and roughly conical. A central plug drops out at maturity, releasing the winged seeds to be dispersed by wind. The fruit of Cariniana may be distinguished from those of Couratari, as the former have longitudinal ridges, whereas the latter bears a single calyx-derived ring near the fruit apex. [more]
Couroupita
Couroupita is a genus of of Lecythidaceae family. It consists of four species native to tropical South America. [more]
Crateranthus
Crateranthus is a genus of in the Lecythidaceae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Cumbia
Cumbia is a Colombian and Panamanian music genre popular throughout Latin America. [more]
Eschweilera
Eschweilera is a genus of in the Lecythidaceae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Eschweileria
Osmoxylon is a of flowering plant of family Araliaceae, comprising 60 species. [more]
Eschweillera
Foetidia
Foetidia is a genus of between 5-18 species of in the family Lecythidaceae, the sole genus in the subfamily Foetidioideae (sometimes treated in its own family Foetidiaceae). The genus is native to a limited area in eastern Madagascar. [more]
Goeldinia
Grias
Grias is a genus of in the family Lecythidaceae, native to tropical South America and the Caribbean. They are small to medium-sized trees, growing to 5-15 m tall. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, broad lanceolate, very large, up to 1 m long, with an entire or waved margin. The flowers are creamy white to yellow, with four petals; they are cauliflorous, produced in clusters on the trunk and stouter branches. The fruit is 6-15 cm long, with a fleshy coat; it is edible in several species. [more]
Gustavia
Gustavia may refer to [more]
Holopyxidium
Huttum
Japarandiba
Jugastrum
Lecythis
Lecythis is a genus of in the Lecythidaceae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Lecythopsis
Michelia
Michelia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae). The genus includes about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia (Indomalaya), including southern China. [more]
Napoleana
Napoleona
Napoleonaea
Napoleonaea is a genus of in the Lecythidaceae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Oubanguia
Pachylecythis
Petersia
Petersianthus
Pierrina
Pirigara
Planchonia
Rhaptopetalum
Rhaptopetalum is a genus of in family Lecythidaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]
Sapucaya
Scytopetalum
Stravadium
At least 3 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Stravadium.
More info about the Genus Stravadium may be found here.
References
Sources
- The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Wednesday, April 25, 2012.
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