The Lecythidaceae comprise a

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 ...

of about 20 genera and 250–300 species of

woody plant A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants further survive winter or dry season above ground, as opposite to herbaceous plants that die back to the ground until sp ...

s native to tropical

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

(including

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

), Asia and Australia. The most important member of the family in world trade is the

Brazil nut The Brazil nut (''Bertholletia excelsa'') is a South American tree in the family Lecythidaceae, and it is also the name of the tree's commercially harvested edible seeds. It is one of the largest and longest-lived trees in the Amazon rainforest. ...

(''Bertholletia excelsa''), valued for its edible nuts; the

paradise nut ''Lecythis'' is a genus of woody plant in the Lecythidaceae The Lecythidaceae comprise a family (biology), family of about 20 genera and 250–300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America, Africa (including Madagascar), A ...

(''Lecythis'' species) is also eaten.

Taxonomy

According to the most recent molecular analysis of Lecythidaceae by Mori ''et al.'' (2007), the three subfamilies are: *Foetidioideae (

Foetidiaceae ''Foetidia'' is a genus of flowering plants first described as a genus in 1788. Most authors place the genus in the family Lecythidaceae, the sole genus in the subfamily Foetidioideae, but some prefer to treat it as a distinct family, the Foetidi ...

) from Madagascar include only ''

Foetidia ''Foetidia'' is a genus of flowering plants first described as a genus in 1788. Most authors place the genus in the family Lecythidaceae, the sole genus in the subfamily Foetidioideae, but some prefer to treat it as a distinct family, the Foetidi ...

''. *Planchonioideae (including

Barringtonia ''Barringtonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus with this name in 1775. It is native to Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The genus name ...

) are restricted to the Old World tropics. *Lecythidoideae (Lecythidaceae) are restricted to the New World tropics. Two other families are sometimes included in Lecythidaceae; the Scytopetalaceae and Napoleonaeaceae are hypothesized as most closely related to Lecythidaceae. The

APG II system The APG II system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II system) of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Gro ...

of 2003 includes genera from the family Scytopetalaceae in the Lecythidaceae, including '' Rhaptopetalum'' and ''

Brazzeia ''Brazzeia'' is a genus of plants in the family Lecythidaceae. It contains the following accepted species, according to ' The Plant List' : * ''Brazzeia'' ''congoensis'' Baill. * ''Brazzeia longipedicellata'' Verdc. * ''Brazzeia'' ''soyau ...

''.

Genera

The family Lecythidaceae includes the following genera: * '' Abdulmajidia'' Whitmore, also as Barringtoniaceae ''sensu''

Takhtajan Armen Leonovich Takhtajan or Takhtajian ( hy, Արմեն Լևոնի Թախտաջյան; russian: Армен Леонович Тахтаджян; surname also transliterated Takhtadjan, Takhtadzhi︠a︡n or Takhtadzhian, pronounced takh-tuh-JA ...

1997 * ''

Allantoma ''Allantoma'' is a genus of woody plant in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1874.Asteranthos ''Asteranthos'' is a genus of woody plant in the family Lecythidaceae The Lecythidaceae comprise a family (biology), family of about 20 genera and 250–300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America, Africa (including Madagas ...

'' Desf., also as Asteranthaceae * ''

'' J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., also as Barringtoniaceae * ''

Bertholletia The Brazil nut (''Bertholletia excelsa'') is a South American tree in the family Lecythidaceae, and it is also the name of the tree's commercially harvested edible seeds. It is one of the largest and longest-lived trees in the Amazon rainforest. ...

'' Bonpl. * ''

'' Verc. * ''

Careya ''Careya'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent, Afghanistan, Indochina, and Peninsular Malaysia. Taxonomy It was first described as a genus by William Roxburgh in volume 3 part 1 of ...

'' Roxb., also as Barringtoniaceae * ''

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 ...

'' Casar. * ''

Chydenanthus ''Chydenanthus'' is a genus of woody plant in the Lecythidaceae family first described as a genus in 1875. There is only one known species, ''Chydenanthus excelsus'', native to Indonesia, Myanmar, New Guinea, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands ...

'' Miers, also as Barringtoniaceae * ''

Corythophora ''Corythophora'' is a genus of woody plant in the Lecythidaceae family first described as a genus in 1939. It is native to northeastern South America (French Guiana, Suriname, northern Brazil). ;SpeciesFunk, V. A., P. E. Berry, S. Alexander, T. ...

'' R.Knuth * ''

Couratari ''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. They are large trees, often rising above the rainforest canopy. The leaves are eve ...

'' Aubl. * ''

Couroupita ''Couroupita'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1775. It is native to tropical South America and Central America. ;Species # ''Couroupita guianensis'' - Cannonball tree -Guyana, Colombia, E ...

'' Aubl. * ''

Crateranthus ''Crateranthus'' is a genus of woody plant in the family Lecythidaceae, first described as a genus in 1913. It is native to tropical Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic ...

'' Baker f., ''incertae sedis'' according to Takhtajan, perhaps Napoleonaeaceae * ''

Eschweilera ''Eschweilera'' is a genus of woody plants in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1828.Foetidia ''Foetidia'' is a genus of flowering plants first described as a genus in 1788. Most authors place the genus in the family Lecythidaceae, the sole genus in the subfamily Foetidioideae, but some prefer to treat it as a distinct family, the Foetidi ...

'' Comm. ex Lam., also as Foetidiaceae * ''

Grias ''Grias'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae, described by Linnaeus in 1759. It is native to northwestern South America, Central America, and Jamaica. They are small to medium-sized trees, growing to 5–15 m tall. The le ...

'' L. * '' Gustavia'' L. * ''

Lecythis ''Lecythis'' is a genus of woody plant in the Lecythidaceae The Lecythidaceae comprise a family of about 20 genera and 250–300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America, Africa (including Madagascar), Asia and Australia ...

'' Loefl. * ''

Napoleonaea ''Napoleonaea'' is a genus of woody plant in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1804, the same year its namesake (Napoleon Bonaparte) crowned himself Emperor of the French. The genus is native to Africa Africa is the ...

'' P.Beauv., also as Napoleonaeaceae * '' Petersianthus'' Merr., also as Barringtoniaceae * '' Pierrina'' Engl. * ''

Planchonia ''Planchonia'' is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus in 1851. It is native to Southeast Asia, Papuasia, and Australia. ;Accepted species # '' Planchonia brevistipitata'' Kuswata – Sabah # ''Plan ...

'' Blume, also as Barringtoniaceae * '' Rhaptopetalum'' Oliv. * '' Scytopetalum'' Engl.

References

External links

Lecythidaceae
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L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
http://delta-intkey.com

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L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
http://delta-intkey.com

i
L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
http://delta-intkey.com

i
L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
http://delta-intkey.com

i
L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
http://delta-intkey.com

by Scott A. Mori and Ghillean T. Prance
Toa Alta, Puerto Rico
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q161929 Ericales families