Cariniana legalis

Cariniana legalis
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Lecythidaceae
Genus:	Cariniana
Species:	C. legalis
Binomial name
Cariniana legalis (Martius) Kuntze

Cariniana legalis is a species of emergent rainforest tree in the Monkeypot family Lecythidaceae. It is found in the Atlantic forest of south-eastern Brazil, where is known as jequitibá-branco or jequitibá-rosa, and possibly found in Colombia, and Venezuela. These trees can be very large. A C. legalis measured by botanical explorer David Fairchild was 62 feet (19 meters) in circumference with no buttresses at six feet (two meters) above ground.[2]

One of the biggest trees in the Atlantic Forest, there are some old trees in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro and near Petrópolis. One of these trees is more than 3 000 years old.

It is threatened by habitat loss.

References

1. Americas Regional Workshop (1998). "Cariniana legalis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998. Conservation & Sustainable Management of Trees, Costa Rica, November 1996. IUCN: e.T34747A9887065. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T34747A9887065.en. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
2. Fairchild, David G. (May 1901). "Coffee Growing in Brazil and the Giant Jequitiba Trees". Botanical Gazette. 31 (5): 353–354.

Gallery

• 
  Jequitibá-rosa in the Botanical Garden of São Paulo.
• 
  Same tree, from another angle.
• 
  Jequitibá-rosa in the Aclimação Park, São Paulo.
• 
  Giant Jequitibá-rosa estimated to be 3000 years old, in the Vassununga State Park, Santa Rita do Passa Quatro.
• 
  Canopy of the same tree in Vassununga State Park.