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licania

Scientific Name: Licania arborea

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Licania: A Diverse Genus

Licania is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Chrysobalanaceae (sometimes referred to as the coco plum family or goldpflaumengewachse in German).

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Licania Aubl.
  • Family: Chrysobalanaceae
  • Major Group: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
  • Synonyms:
    • Chrysobalanus incanus (Aubl.) M.Gomez
    • Hedycrea incana (Aubl.) J.F.Gmel
    • Moquilea tomentosa (synonym for Licania tomentosa)
    • Moquilea platypus (synonym for Licania platypus)
    • Pleragina odorata (synonym for Licania tomentosa)
  • Illegitimate Synonyms:
    • Licania angelesia Bl. (Illegitimate synonym for Coccomelia nitida)
    • Licania splendens (Korth.) Prance & Kosterm. (Illegitimate synonym for Parinarium fragile)

Common Names

  • Gopher Apple (Licania michauxii)
  • Oiti (Licania tomentosa, Licania hoehnei)
  • Goiti (Licania tomentosa)
  • Oitizeiro (Licania tomentosa)
  • Oiti-da-praia (Licania tomentosa)
  • Sansapote (Licania platypus)
  • Oiti-mirim (Licania hypoleuca)

Distribution and Habitat

  • The genus is native to Africa, Asia, North America, and South America, with most species found in South America.
  • Licania michauxii (Gopher Apple) grows in the sandhills of peninsular Florida and coastal Mississippi.
  • Licania caldasiana was endemic to Colombia.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Licania includes shrubs and small to medium-sized trees.
  • Licania michauxii (Gopher Apple) is an evergreen shrub.
  • Licania fasciculata grows to a height.
  • Licania hypoleuca (oiti-mirim) grows to 10–25 m in height.
  • Licania hoehnei (oiti) can grow to 10–30 m in height.
  • The specific epithet "splendens" (as in Licania splendens) is from the Latin, meaning "shining," referring to the surfaces of the dried plant.

Ecological Role and Conservation

  • Deforestation has led to the decline of several Licania species.
  • Licania fasciculata, endemic to Panama, is threatened by habitat loss.

Traditional and Economic Uses

  • Licania rigida (Oiticica tree) of Ceara, Brazil, is closely related to some Licania species and its seeds are a source of oil.

Further Information

  • World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  • The Plant List
  • USF Herbarium
  • ARKive
  • Discover Life
  • DELTA database for Tropical America (grigri, caraip)
  • Wikimedia Commons