LECYTHIDACEAE 345 



Flowers red, the calyx 2.5 to 3 cm leng, the segments usually 6. Petals 

 obovate, nearly 2 cm long. Fruit globose, reddish or purplish, about 5 

 cm in diametei^, containing many seeds surrounded by a red pulp. (Fil. 

 Filip. pi. 211.) 



Occasionally cultivated, flowering most of the year; in most towns in 

 the Philippines in cultivation, but not spontaneous, introduced by the 

 Spaniards at an early date. A native of eastern subtropical Asia, now 

 cultivated in most tropical and subtropical countries. 



100. LECYTHIDACEAE (Baiiringtonia OR Putat Family) 



Erect shrubs or trees with alternate, simple, entire, or toothed leaves. 

 Flowers regular, perfect, often large and showy, in short or elongated, 

 terminal or axillary spikes or racemes, the bracts small deciduous. Caiyx- 

 tube scarcely produced above the ovary, the limb with 3 or 4, valvate or 

 imbricate lobes. Petals 4 or 5, imbricate. Stamens very many, the fila- 

 ments slightly connate at the base. Ovary inferior, 2- to 4-celled; ovules. 

 2 to 8 in each cell. Fruit small or" large, ovoid to oblong, sometimes 

 quadrangfular, fibrous or fleshy, indehescent, 1- to several-seeded, crowned 

 by the calyx-lobes. 



Genera 18, species about 260, in all tropical countries, 2 genera and 

 about 7 species in the Philippines. 



1. BARRINGTONIA Forster 



Small or large trees, usually glabrous. Leaves generally crowded at 

 the ends of the branches, entire or toothed, often large. Flowers small 

 or large, in short or long, terminal or axillary, erect or pendulous racemes. 

 Calyx green, the tube adnate to the ovary, not produced above it, the seg- 

 ments 2 to 4. Petals usually 4, sometimes 5, imbricate, slightly connate 

 at the base, adnate to the stamens. Stamens very numerous, in several 

 rows, epigynous, falling with the corolla; filaments very slender, elongated, 

 connate at the base. Ovary inferior, 2- to 4-celled, ovules several in each 

 cell, pendulous. Fruit small or large, fibrous or leathery, often angled, 

 indehiscent, 1-celled, containing a single large seed. (In honor of D. 

 Harrington.) 



Species about 60, eastern Africa, tropical Asia, Malaya, Australia, and 

 Polynesia, about 7 in the Philippines. 



1. Calyx quite closed in bud, splitting irregularly into 2 or 3 lobes. 

 2. Leaves entire; racemes short, erect; flowers and fruit very large. 



1. B. asiatica 

 2. Leaves finely toothed; racemes pendulous, up to 60 cm in length. 



2i B: raeemosa 



1. Calyx not closed in bud, with 4 equal segments; flowers and fruit small; 



racemes pendulous 3. B. luzonenaia 



1. B. asiatica (L.) Kurz. (B. speciosa Forst.). Botong (Tag.). 



A tree 8 to 15 m high with large, sessile, obovate or obovate-oblong, 

 entire, thick, shining leaves 20 to 40 cm long, apex obtuse, base narrowed. 

 Flowers very large, in short, erect, few-flowered racemes. Calyx-tube 1 

 cm long, the lobes 2 or 3, oblong-ovate, concave, green, 2.5 cm long. Pe- 

 tals 4, thin, white, becoming brownish, oblong, 7 to 8 cm long, 3 to 4 cm 

 wide deciduous. Stamens very numerous, slender, united at the base, 10 

 to 12 cm long, white below, shading to purple above; anthers small, yellow. 



