''Licania'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

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 ...

and the

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc betwe ...

. Due to increased

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

and

loss of habitat Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

, several species have declined, some markedly so, and '' L. caldasiana'' from

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 ...

appears to have gone

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

in recent years. Many species are either rare or restricted in distribution and therefore potentially threatened with future extinction. Several species are used as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s. ''Licania'' fruit are important food for many animals and can also be eaten by humans.

Caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

s of a possible new

taxon In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...

of the '' Astraptes fulgerator''

cryptic species complex In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

were found on '' L. arborea'' but do not seem to eat them regularly. Like other members of its family, the genus is known for producing a diverse array of

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

compounds.

Selected species

Species include: * ''

Licania arborea ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation and ...

'' * ''

Licania caldasiana ''Licania caldasiana'' is a species of tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It was endemic to Colombia. This mostly neotropical family has over 500 species, over 100 of them in the genus Licania ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of t ...

'' * ''

Licania chiriquiensis ''Licania chiriquiensis'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Panama. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natura ...

'' * ''

Licania conferruminata ''Licania conferruminata'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and ...

'' * ''

Licania fasciculata ''Licania fasciculata'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae endemic to Panama. It is threatened by habitat loss. ''Licania fasciculata'' grows to a height of 12 m, with leaves between 9 cm and 13.5 cm long and flo ...

'' * ''

Licania grandibracteata ''Licania grandibracteata'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The al ...

'' * ''

Licania hedbergii ''Licania hedbergii'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This tree was found in 1990 by Walter Palacios near the road to Nueva L ...

'' * ''

Licania humilis ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation and ...

'' * ''

Licania kunthiana ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation and ...

'' * '' Licania longicuspidata'' * '' Licania longipetala'' * '' Licania megalophylla'' * ''

Licania michauxii ''Geobalanus oblongifolius'', commonly known as gopher apple, is an evergreen shrub. It grows in America within the sandhills of peninsular Florida as well as coastal Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina and Georgia. Its fruit is ea ...

'' – Gopher apple, ground oak * '' Licania morii'' * '' Licania platypus'' – Sansapote * '' Licania pyrifolia'' – Merecure * '' Licania rigida'' – ''oiticica'' (Brazil) * '' Licania salicifolia'' * '' Licania splendens'' * '' Licania tomentosa'' – ''oitizeiro'' (Brazil) * '' Licania vasquezii'' * '' Licania velutina''

References

External links

* Chrysobalanaceae genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Malpighiales-stub