LECYTHIDACEAE
Morphological description
Woody, non-climbing.
Leaves
Leaves spiral, simple, usually leaves crowded at the end of branches, dentate; penninerved; exstipulate, sometimes tiny stipules (Barringtonia).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence sometimes racemose (Barringtonia).
Flowers
Flower hermaphroditic; stamens numerous; ovary (semi-)inferior, 2-6-locular.
Fruit
Fruit with fibrous mesocarp. Sometimes fruit winged (Combretodendron)
Different from: Combretaceae: leaves entire, often with pellucid dots and glands, ovary 1-locular. — Myrtaceae: leaves mostly opposite, entire, pellucid dots.
Distribution: The family pantropical. In Malesia 6 genera, incl.: - Barringtonia (paleotropical), trees; lowland (incl. swamp and littoral) forest; - Planchonia (Malesia, North Australia), trees; lowland rain forest.
Notes: Edible nuts: some Barringtonia, Bertholletia*. — Ornamentals: Barringtonia, Couroupita*, Gustavia*. — Fish poison: Barringtonia.
Literature: K. Kartawinata, Bull. Bot. Survey India 9 (1965) 162-187 (Planchonia); J.P.D.W. Payens, Blumea 15 (1968) 157-263 (Barringtonia). — Dr. K. Kartawinata (CIFOR, Bogor) is revising the family for Flora Malesiana.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Abdulmajidia 92 - Barringtonia 10, 14, 43, 46, 53, 92 - Bertholletia 94 - Chydenanthus 70, 78, 92 - Combretodendron 92 - Couroupita 70, 92, 94 - Planchonia 92.
Illustrations: Fig. 87. Barringtonia fusiformis King: a. flowering twig; b. detail of leaf; c. LS of ovary; d. fruit; e. idem, in LS.
Image in PhytoImages for Lecythidaceae