Brazil-nut family
Description
A family of trees occurring in the tropics, concentrated in the rainforests of South America (Lecythidaceae 1).
The leaves are simple and crowded at the twigs tips. The flowers are often borne in spikes, sometimes cauliflorous. They are usually large (Lecythidaceae 2), nocturnal and bat-pollinated.There are 4-6 sepals and petals and many stamens which are fused at the base, and an inferior ovary. The fruit is a berry or a woody capsule, opening by a lid.
There are 20 genera.
Use
The family provides some edible nuts.
Described species
Bertholletia excelsa, Brazil nut
Lecythis zabucajo, sapucaya, paradise nut, monkey pot, see Bertholletia excelsa