''Couratari'' is a genus of trees in the family Lecythidaceae, first described as a genus in 1775. They are native to tropical South America and Central America.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> Couratari sp

They are large trees, often rising above the

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

canopy. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

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 A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosperm pl ...

to be dispersed by wind. The fruit of ''

Cariniana ''Cariniana'' is a genus of trees in the family Lecythidaceae, first described as a genus in 1842. The entire genus is native to South America. Many are of importance for timber production. Species of this genus may be known commonly as ''jequi ...

'' 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.Davidse, G., M. Sousa Sánchez, S. Knapp & F. Chiang Cabrera. 2009. Cucurbitaceae a Polemoniaceae. 4(1): i–xvi, 1–855. In G. Davidse, M. Sousa Sánchez, S. Knapp & F. Chiang Cabrera (eds.) Flora Mesoamericana. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México ;Species

References

External links

Field Museum: ''Couratari'' photosField Museum Herbarium: ''Couratari'' photos
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5178100 Ericales genera