Vouarana

Primary tabs

Vouarana

Description

Medium to large trees of moist forests. Stipules wanting. Leaves alternate, pinnate, with rudimentary distal leaflet; leaflets opposite or subopposite, usually foveate at vein axils. Inflorescence of axillary or distal, racemiform thyrses with flowers in lateral dichasia. Flowers slightly zygomorphic, functionally unisexual (plants polygamous-monoecious); sepals 4-5, distinct, concave, larger than the petals, the two outer sepals smaller; petals 4-5, rhombic, auriculate; disc annular and lobed; stamens 6-8, the filaments subulate and hirsute, free, the anthers dorsifixed; ovary 2-locular, each locule with a single ovule. Fruit a 1-to 2-seeded, pyriform, woody capsule. Seeds ellipsoid with a triangular, white arillode at base.

Distribution

Amazon Basin present, Guianas present, S Costa Rica present
Known from S Costa Rica to the Amazon basin, two species, all in the Guianas.