Byrsonima

• Authority

  Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.

• Family

  Malpighiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Byrsonima

• Description

  
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  Genus Description - Trees, shrubs, or subshrubs, the leaves eglandular; stipules intra- and epipetiolar, free or partially to completely connate, persistent on the petiole (except in B. stipulacea). Inflorescence terminal, a raceme of few-flowered cincinni or a pseudoraceme (i e a raceme of 1-flowered cincinni), the bracts and bracteoles eglandular, the peduncle usually very short or absent. Flowers circinate in bud in m a n y species. Sepals all biglandular or not rarely all eglandular, connate as far as the tips ofthe glands, the glands green, yellow, white, or pink. Petals yeHow, white, pink, or red ("purple" in B. fernandezii), usually glabrous (bearing a few hairs in a few species), the lateral 4 with slender, recurved claws, the anterior pair with deeply cup-shaped Hmbs, the posterior pair shaHower; posterior petal with a stout, erect claw and the limb smaller, flat or crumpled and often reflexed. Stamens 10, all fertile; filaments alike, flat, free or basally connate, glabrous or (usually) with some basal hairs, at least adaxially; anthers ± alike, of different lengths in some species; pollen usually tricolporate. Receptacle hirsute between filaments and ovary. Ovary with the 3 carpels completely connate, 3-locular, every locule containing 1 ovule or the anterior sterile in some species; styles 3, apical, ± alike, glabrous, subulate, often bent at the tips in bud, the stigmas minute and apical or slightly internal. Fruit a drupe, the thin flesh green turning yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, or blue-black at maturity, the stone with a hard wall, trilocular, the seeds as many as the ovules or fewer due to abortion, the embryo coHed.

• Discussion

  7. Byrsonima Richard ex Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. PI. 5: 147 (4° ed.). 1821 [1822]. Alcoceratothrix Niedenzu, Arb. Bot. Inst. Lye. Braunsberg 1: 45. 190 Lectotype. Byrsonima coccolobifolia H.B.K. Byrsonima is the largest genus in the family, comprising at least 150 species, all American. It is the most widespread and ecologically diverse genus of the subfamily Byrsonimoideae, a fact that I relate to its bird-dispersed fruits, which are unique in the subfamily (Anderson, 1978). Functionally similar fruits have evolved independently in the genera Bunchosia and Malpighia, neither of which is closely related to Byrsonima. Success in identifying a Byrsonima to species depends on correct interpretation of the anthers. For this a dissecting microscope is usually essential, preferably one equipped with an ocular micrometer. I have included a plate (Fig 16) with photographs of the principal types of anthers, and one should use that plate as an adjunct to the key. The drawings of individual species will also help in this respect.