Download LECYTHIDACBAE Flowers red, the calyx 2.5 to 3 cm long, the

LECYTHIDACBAE
345
Flowers red, the calyx 2.5 to 3 cm long, the segments usually 6. Petals
obovate, nearly 2 cm long. Fruit globose, reddish or purplish, about 5
cm in diameter, containing many seeds surrounded by a red pulp. (Fil.
Filip. pl- 211.)
Occasionally cultivated, flowering most of the year; in most towns in
the Philippines in cultivation, but not spontaneous, introduced by the
Spaniards at an early date. A native of eastern subtropical Asia, now
cultivated in most tropical and subtropical countries.
100.
LECYTHIDACEAE
(BARRINGTONIA OR PUTAT FAMILY)
Erect shrubs or trees with alternate, simple, entire, or toothed leaves.
Flowers regular, perfect, often large and showy, in short or elongated,
terminal or axillary spikes or racemes, the bracts small deciduous. Caiyxtube scarcely produced above the ovary, the limb with 3 or 4, valvate or
imbricate lobes. Petals 4 or 5, imbricate. Stamens very many, the fila­
ments slightly connate at the base. Ovary inferior, 2- to 4-celled; ovules
2 to 8 in each cell. Fruit small or large, ovoid to oblong, sometimes
quadrangular, fibrous or fleshy, indehescent, 1- to several-seeded, crowned
by the calyx-lobes.
Genera 18, species about 260, in all tropical countries, 2 genera and
about 7 species in the Philippines.
1. B A R R I N G T O N I A
Forster
Small or large trees, usually glabrous. Leaves generally crowded at
the ends of the branches, entire or toothed, often large. Flowers small
or large, in short or long, terminal or axillary, erect or pendulous racemes.
Calyx green, the tube adnate to the ovary, not produced above it, the seg­
ments 2 to 4. Petals usually 4, sometimes 5, imbricate, slightly connate
at the base, adnate to the stamens. Stamens very numerous, in several
rows, epigynous, falling with the corolla; filaments very slender, elongated,
connate at the base. Ovary inferior, 2- to 4-celled, ovules several in each
cell, pendulous. Fruit small or large, fibrous or leathery, often angled,
indéhiscent, 1-celled, containing a single large seed. (In honor of D.
Barrington.)
Species about 60, eastern Africa, tropical Asia, Malaya, Australia, and
Polynesia, about 7 in the Philippines.
1. Calyx quite closed in bud, splitting irregularly into 2 or 3 lobes.
2. Leaves entire; racemes short, erect; flowers and fruit very large.
1. B. asiatica
2. Leaves finely toothed; racemes pendulous, up to 60 cm in length.
2. B. racemosa
1. Calyx not closed in bud, with 4 equal segments; flowers and fruit small;
racemes pendulous
3. B. luzonensis
1. B. asiatica ( L . ) Kurz. {B. speciosa Forst.). Botong ( T a g . ) .
A tree 8 to 15 m high with large, sessile, obovate or obovate-oblong,
entire, thick, shining leaves 20 to 40 cm long, apex obtuse, base narrowed.
Flowers very large, in short, erect, few-flowered racemes. Calyx-tube 1
cm long, the lobes 2 or 3, oblong-ovate, concave, green, 2.5 cm long. Pe­
tals 4, thin, white, becoming brownish, oblong, 7 to 8 cm long, 3 to 4 cm
wide, deciduous. Stamens very numerous, slender, united at the base, 10
to 12 cm long, white below, shading to purple above; anthers small, yellow.