Parchment like monkeypot tree
Lecythis chartacea

Family: Lecythidaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 8-30 m tall. The crown is round. The trunk is upright and 70-80 cm across. The bark is thick and has cracks along it. It breaks off in rectangular plates. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are 7-11 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. The leaf stalks are 6-12 mm long and hairy. There are 9-14 pairs of side veins. The flowers are in groups at the ends of branches. The flowers are white and have a scent. The fruit is hard with an opening lid. It is 4-4.5 cm long. It has a few seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in dryland forest in the Amazon in Brazil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The seeds without the shell are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Seeds, nuts

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The ripe fruit are harvested and put in the sun to fully open. The fresh seed are planted and germinate in 4-7 weeks.

Its other names

Local names

Booka, Cachimbo, Carguero, Coco de mono, Corbina, Doidir, Engosso, Guacharaco amarillo, Guacharaco blanco, Hiraroo kakaralli, Ingipipa, Jarana-mirim, Kouatapatou, Kumeche, Matamata, Niarana, Marana, Matamata, Meli, Onapuin, Sneki-bita, Toko, Totaiduc-ke, Tutuma de mono, Vela de muerto, Weti lobi

Synonyms

Cercophora anomala Miers; Chytroma chartacea (O. Berg.) Miers; Chytroma cistella Miers; Chytroma cupularis (Miers) R. Knuth; Chytroma laevicula (Miers) R. Knuth; Chytroma langsdorfii (O. Berg.) R. Knuth; Chytroma marawynensis (O. Berg.) Miers; Chytroma monosperma (Mart. ex O. Berg.) Miers; Chytroma pilocarpa Miers; Chytroma rorida (O. Berg.) Miers; Chytroma spruceana (O. Berg.) Miers; Chytroma urceolata Miers; Eschweilera brancoensis R. Knuth; Eschweilera chartacea (O. Berg.) Eyma; Eschweilera marawynensis (O. Berg.) Nied.; Eschweilera rigida Miers; Eschweilera rorida (O. Berg.) A.C. Smith; Eschweilera spruceana (O. Berg.) Nied.; Lecythis chartacea O. Berg. var. calyce Sagot; Lecythis cupularis Miers; Lecythis laevicula Miers; Lecythis langsdorfii O. Berg.; Lecythis marawynensis O. Berg.; Lecythis monosperma Mart. ex O. Berg.; Lecythis rigida (Miers) R. Knuth; Lecythis rorida O. Berg.; Lecythis spruceana O. Berg.;