Coussapoa
Description
Trees or shrubs, mostly hemi-epiphytic with aerial roots; internodes solid. Scars of the stipules usually oblique; blade basally attached, entire, pinnately veined (to subtrinerved). Inflorescences branched or unbranched (and unicapitate), with flowers in terminal (sub)globose heads, with or without interfloral bracts. Perianth tubular; stamens 1, 2 or 3, connate; stigma penicillate to subpeltate. Fruit small (1-2 mm long), achene-like (or drupaceous in C. asperifolia), enclosed by the enlarged, ± fleshy perianth; endosperm present, cotyledons flat.
Distribution
Guianas present, Neotropics present
Neotropics 46 species; in the Guianas 7 (or 9) species.
Wood
Vessels diffuse, solitary (25-80%) and in radial multiples and irregular clusters of 2-8, round to oval, 1-6 per sq. mm, diameter 220-300 μm. Vessel-member length: 475-600 μm. Perforations simple. Intervascular pits alternate, round or polygonal, 10-15 μm. Vessel-ray and vessel- parenchyma pits larger, often elongated, half-bordered. Thin-walled tyloses common.
Rays uniseriate and 3-6-seriate, 4-7 per mm, up to 700-1100 μm high. Heterogeneous, composed of procumbent, square and upright cells, with uniseriate margins of 1-2 rows, occasionally vertically compound. Radial latex tubes observed inC. latifolia .
Parenchyma paratracheal, banded, irregular, wavy, 1-2 bands per mm. Strands of 5-8 cells. Rhombic crystals scarce to abundant.
Fibres non-septate, lumen 18-25 μm, walls 2-4 μm. Pits simple, small, 1100-1800 μm. F/V ratio: 2.5-3.7.
Rays uniseriate and 3-6-seriate, 4-7 per mm, up to 700-1100 μm high. Heterogeneous, composed of procumbent, square and upright cells, with uniseriate margins of 1-2 rows, occasionally vertically compound. Radial latex tubes observed in
Parenchyma paratracheal, banded, irregular, wavy, 1-2 bands per mm. Strands of 5-8 cells. Rhombic crystals scarce to abundant.
Fibres non-septate, lumen 18-25 μm, walls 2-4 μm. Pits simple, small, 1100-1800 μm. F/V ratio: 2.5-3.7.