''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation and

loss of habitat Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

, several species have declined, some markedly so, and '' L. caldasiana'' from

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

appears to have gone

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

in recent years. Many species are either rare or restricted in distribution and therefore potentially threatened with future extinction. Several species are used as ornamental plants. ''Licania'' fruit are important food for many animals and can also be eaten by humans.

Caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

s of a possible new taxon of the '' Astraptes fulgerator'' cryptic species complex were found on '' L. arborea'' but do not seem to eat them regularly. Like other members of its family, the genus is known for producing a diverse array of

flavonoid Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

compounds.

Selected species

Species include: * ''

Licania arborea ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforesta ...

'' * '' Licania caldasiana'' * ''

Licania chiriquiensis ''Licania chiriquiensis'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Panama. It is threatened by habitat loss. References Endemic flora of Panama chiriquiensis Critically endangered plants Taxonomy artic ...

'' * ''

Licania conferruminata ''Licania conferruminata'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Brazil. References Endemic flora of Brazil conferruminata Vulnerable plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxobox binomials not ...

'' * '' Licania fasciculata'' * ''

Licania grandibracteata ''Licania grandibracteata'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. References Endemic flora of Ecuador grandibracteata V ...

'' * '' Licania hedbergii'' * '' Licania humilis'' * '' Licania kunthiana'' * '' Licania longicuspidata'' * ''

Licania longipetala ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforesta ...

'' * ''

Licania megalophylla ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation a ...

'' * '' Licania michauxii'' – Gopher apple, ground oak * ''

Licania morii ''Licania morii'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning ...

'' * '' Licania platypus'' – Sansapote * ''

Licania pyrifolia ''Licania pyrifolia'', commonly known as , is a species of flowering tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It has large green fruits, similar in size to the avocado, greenish with whitish freckles. It is widespread in the Llanos or Great Plains o ...

'' – Merecure * ''

Licania rigida ''Licania rigida'', the oiticica, is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Brazil and Puerto Rico. The oiticica grows deep in floods of rivers and streams, forming long, narrow avenues to the edge of ravines or ...

'' – ''oiticica'' (Brazil) * ''

Licania salicifolia ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation a ...

'' * ''

Licania splendens ''Licania splendens'' is a tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "shining", referring to surfaces of the dried leaves. Description ''Licania splendens'' grows up to tall. The bark is smooth to sc ...

'' * ''

Licania tomentosa ''Moquilea tomentosa'' (syn. ''Licania tomentosa'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae, native to most of Brazil. It is widely cultivated for its abundant fruit in South America and South Africa, and it is used as a ...

'' – ''oitizeiro'' (Brazil) * ''

Licania vasquezii ''Licania'' is a genus of over 200 species of trees and shrubs in the family Chrysobalanaceae. Species are found naturally occurring in Neotropical forests from southern Mexico to Brazil and the Lesser Antilles. Due to increased deforestation a ...

'' * ''

Licania velutina ''Licania velutina'' is a species of plant in the family Chrysobalanaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of defini ...

References

External links

* Chrysobalanaceae genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Malpighiales-stub