The Lecythidaceae ( ) comprise a family of about 30 genera and 250–300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America, Africa (including Madagascar), Asia and Australia.
Well known members of the family include the cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) and the edible Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa).
Genera 30 genera are currently accepted.
Allantoma Asteranthos Barringtonia Bertholletia Brazzeia Careya Cariniana Chydenanthus Chytroma Corythophora Couratari Couroupita Crateranthus Eschweilera Foetidia Grias Guaiania Gustavia Imbiriba Lecythis Napoleonaea Oubanguia Pachylecythis Petersianthus Pierrina Planchonia Rhaptopetalum Scottmoria Scytopetalum Waimiria
Taxonomy According to molecular analysis of Lecythidaceae, including work by Mori et al. (2007), subfamilies include: Barringtonioideae Previously Barringtoniaceae; also sensu Takhtajan 1997; this subfamily was also called Planchonioideae (which included Barringtonia). Genera are restricted to the Old World tropics. Barringtonia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (synonym Abdulmajidia Whitmore) Careya Roxb. Chydenanthus Miers Petersianthus Merr. Planchonia Blume
Foetidioideae Previously Foetidiaceae from Madagascar is monogeneric: Foetidia Comm. ex Lam.
Lecythidoideae Genera restricted to the New World tropics.Oscar M. Vargas, Drew A. Larson, Juvenal Batista, Xavier Cornejo, Bruno Garcia Luize, Diana Medellín-Zabala, Michel Ribeiro, Nathan P. Smith, Stephen A. Smith, Alberto Vicentini, and Christopher W. Dick "Reclassification of the Bertholletia Clade of the Brazil Nut Family (Lecythidaceae) Based on a Phylogenetic Analysis of Plastome and Target Sequence Capture Data," Harvard Papers in Botany 29(1), 159-179, (30 June 2024). https://doi.org/10.3100/hpib.v29iss1.2024.n18
Allantoma Bertholletia Cariniana Chytroma Corythophora Couratari Couroupita Eschweilera Grias Guaiania Gustavia Imbiriba Lecythis Pachylecythis Scottmoria Waimiria
Scytopetaloideae The APG II system of 2003 included genera from the family Scytopetalaceae and others Asteranthos Desf., also as Asteranthaceae Brazzeia Verc. Oubanguia Baill. Pierrina Engl. Rhaptopetalum Oliv. Scytopetalum Engl.
Napoleonaeoideae Previously as family Napoleonaeaceae; species are native to Africa. Crateranthus Baker f., incertae sedis according to Takhtajan, Napoleonaea P.Beauv.
References
External links
Lecythidaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com Barringtoniaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com Foetidiaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com Asteranthaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com Napoleonaeaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. http://delta-intkey.com The Lecythidaceae Pages by Scott A. Mori and Ghillean T. Prance Toa Alta, Puerto Rico Lecythidaceae in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database Lecythidaceae Pages