Caryocaraceae

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Content is from Kirkbride et al. 2006, without modification. 
Updates are forthcoming.

Taxonomy

Caryocaraceae Voigt

Common name: Souari Family.

Number of genera: 2 genera.

Number of species (Mabberley 1997): 24 species.

Disseminule

Fruit (intact or entire).

Description

Fruits: Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit pericarpium; simple; drupe; berry indehiscent; berry without central placental mass; without persistent central column; not within accessory organ(s); with 4–10-carpellate (4(-6) for Caryocar; 8–20 for Anthodiscus); with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; without sterile carpels; apex not beaked; wall leathery, or fleshy; indehiscent. Epicarp durable; coriaceous; not glabrous (with hairs); hairs not glandular; with armature, or without armature; with spines, or warts; without armature glochidiate; smooth, or not smooth; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present; fleshy; composed of 1 unified layer; without lactiform cavity system. Endocarp present; not separating from exocarp; bony, or woody; splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; stone plurilocular; not smooth; with prickles, or tubercules, or muricate, or spinulose; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.

Seeds: Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; reniform (or sub); not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity without apparent food reserves (endosperm absorbed by mature embryo); with endosperm (endosperm absorbed by mature embryo); without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; surface unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; surface reticulate; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle, or with crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other, or with notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approaching each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades), or black; thin; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding embryo. Endosperm thin, or trace; without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testa (with food reserve); 0.2–1.5 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; axile and centric; foliate, or linear; with spatulate cotyledons; straight, or bent, or arcuate, or flatly coiled (circinate); with cotyledons gradually connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; with cotyledons containing oils and protein; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; tiny, or well developed; 0.04–0.1 times length of embryo; not as wide as hypocotyl-radicle, or as wide as hypocotyl-radicle; 0.1–1 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 2-lobed; with apices entire; with margins connate; basally cordate; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; coiled, or curved; not thickened.

Distribution

General distribution: New World.

Detailed distribution: Middle America and South America.

References

General references: Baillon, H.E. 1866–95. Histoire des plantes, 13 vols. Hachette & Co., Paris, Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Engler, A. & K. Prantl. 1924 and onward. Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilimien. W. Engelman, Leipzig, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) & 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) & 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R. & J.V. Dennis. 1976. World guide to tropical drift seeds and fruits, 240 pp. The New York Times Book Co., New York, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, & J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 & amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. & J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, & Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Roosmalen, M.G.M. van. 1985. Fruits of the Guianan flora, 483 pp. Institute of Systematic Botany, Wageningen Agricultural University. Drukkerij Veenman B.V., Wageningen, and Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.