Bixa urucurana Willd.

(Bixaceae)

Espinoza, R., Guadamuz, A., Perez, D., Chavarría, F. and Masís, A. 1998. Bixa urucurana (Bixaceae) Species Page, June 12, 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Tree 10-12 m tall.

Flower:

Fruit:

Indehiscent spiny fruit with numerous seeds inside. Reddish when mature. Approximately 2.5 cm in diameter.

Mature fruit

 

 

 

 

Leaves:

Cordate in form with entire margins. Simple and alternate. Approximately 18 cm long.

Upper surface of the leaf, new leaf and leaf arrangement

 

 

 

Bark and wood:

Whole plant architecture:

Similar species:

Verification:

II.Geographic distribution:

International:

In Costa Rica:

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

In the lowland tropical wet and premontane forests. Also in the areas of transition from dry to wet habitat.

 Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural History:

IV. How to find:

In the area known as El Muerto in the El Hacha sector.

Acknowledgements.

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Thanks to Kate Beattie for helping with the image management and the translation of this species page.

Literature cited: