Gustavia (genus)

Gustavia superba, illustration.

Gustavia is a plant genus in the family pot of fruit tree crops ( Lecythidaceae ). We distinguish about 40 species that are native to tropical South America.

Description

The Gustavia species are trees that range in size from small trees to large plants of the crown layer. The branching pattern of some species (eg G. superba or G. monocaulis ) differs from the usual image of a tree: the trees are little or not branched, the few branches are proportionally quite thick, the leaves very large (up to 120 inches long ) and clustered at the ends of branches. In other species the leaves are evenly distributed on the branches, the crown structure is similar to the Central European trees.

The leaves are simple, entire and smooth. The leaf veins run reticulate together.

The flowers are terminal or axillary racemose inflorescences in together. The flowers are radial symmetry. Note the stamens, which are arranged on a ring and bent with the anthers towards flower center, so that a toroidal structure.

The roundish fruits do not open at maturity. They contain two to five (sometimes only one) seeds.

Dissemination

The Gustavia species occur in the northern part of South America before, from Panama south through the Andes to Ecuador, and along the Caribbean coast and the Amazon lowlands. They colonize both flooded and better drained ( "terra firme " ) locations. Some species such as G. superba are also found in disturbed places outside of closed forests, which is rather unusual for the pot fruit tree plants.

Types (selection)

  • Gustavia acuminata S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia dodsonii S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia erythrocarpa S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia excelsa R.Knuth
  • Gustavia foliosa Cuatrec.
  • Gustavia fosteri S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia gracillima Miers
  • Gustavia latifolia Miers
  • Gustavia longepetiolata Huber
  • Gustavia longifuniculata S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia monocaulis S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia petiolata S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia pubescens Ruiz ex O. Berg
  • Gustavia santanderiensis R. Knuth
  • Gustavia serrata S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia sessilis S.A.Mori
  • Gustavia superba O. Berg
  • Gustavia verticillata Miers.

Swell

  • SA Mori & Prance GT: The Lecythidaceae Pages. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York, 2006 onward. Online, accessed on 15 August 2007.
Asterids Amazon Basin
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