''Cremastosperma cauliflorum'' is a species of

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

in the family Annonaceae. It is native to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

and

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Robert Elias Fries (Klas) Robert Elias Fries (11 July 1876, Uppsala – 29 January 1966, Stockholm), the youngest son of Theodor Magnus Fries (1832–1913) and grandson of Elias Magnus Fries(1794–1878) and an expert on mushrooms. A Swedish botanist who was a mem ...

, the Swedish botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its flowers which grow from its main trunk or stem ( in Latin).

Description

It is a tree reaching 20 meters in height. Its wood has a scent like vanilla. Its oval to elliptical, paper leaves are 20-61 by 5-14 centimeters and hairless except for sparse hairs on the midrib. The leaves are olive green on their upper surface and darker green underneath. The leaves have blunt or pointed bases and tips that come to a tapering point. The leaves have 10-17 secondary veins emanating from their midribs at 45°-70° angles. Its petioles are 4-12 by 2-4 millimeters. Its branching

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

s have 1-5 flowers on 3-12 by 1–1.5 millimeter peduncles that grow on thick twigs or directly from the main trunk. The flowers are attached to the peduncle by 10-45 by 1-3 millimeter

pedicels In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence. Such inflorescences are described as ''pedicellate''. Description Pedicel refers to a structure connecting a single flower to its inflorescence. In the absenc ...

. Both the peduncles and pedicels are densely covered in gold colored hairs. The pedicels are subtended by a triangular, 1.5-2 millimeter long

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

that is covered in dense gold colored hairs. The pedicels have a second oval to triangular bract at their midpoint that is 2-4 millimeters long and covered in dense gold colored hairs. Its flowers range from green to white to yellow. Its flowers have 3 oval to triangular

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s that are 3-5 by 4-6 millimeters with tips that curve back. The outer surfaces of the sepals are covered in dense gold colored hairs, while the inner surfaces are hairless or only sparsely hairy. Its flowers have 6 petals in two rows of three. The outer, elliptical petals are 10-25 by 9-17 millimeters. The inner elliptical petals are 11-21 by 6-11 millimeters. The outer surfaces of the petals are covered in dense gold colored hairs, while the inner surfaces are hairless or only sparsely hairy. Its numerous, spirally-arranged

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s are 1.5-2 millimeters long. Its flowers have about 40 carpels that are 2–2.3 millimeters long and variably covered in gold colored hairs. Its mature fruit are round to ellipsoid, 8-13 by 10-14 millimeters, and variable colored orange, red, brown or black. The fruit have 9-10 round to ellipsoid, orange, pitted seeds that are 9-10 by 9-10 millimeters.

Habitat and distribution

It has been observed growing in forest habitats, with clay or sand soils, at 100-500 meter elevations.

Reproductive biology

The pollen of ''C. cauliflorum'' is shed as solitary grains with some permanent tetrads.

Uses

It is used as a traditional medicine by the Achuar of Ecuador to treat gastrointestinal ailments.

References

cauliflorum Flora of Brazil Flora of Colombia Flora of Ecuador Flora of Peru Traditional medicine Plants described in 1931 Taxa named by Robert Elias Fries {{Annonaceae-stub