Mezilaurus
Encyclopedia
Mezilaurus is a genus of plant
in family Lauraceae
. Mezilaurus is a neotropical genus consisting of 18-27 species occurring from Costa Rica to the southeast of Brazil (Werff 1987).
In Brazil, 13 species are identified distributed mostly in the Amazon region. In the State of Rio de Janeiro is only recorded occurrence of M. navalium (Allemão) Taub. ex Mez.
.
Mezilaurus is a neotropical botanical genus with 18-27 species
of flowering plants, shrubs and trees, mostly hardwood evergreen trees belonging to the family Lauraceae
. They are extended mostly in the drainage area of the Amazon
from South America
but is present from Costa Rica to the Atlantic rainforest of southern Brazil. Some species are reported for Cerrado, Cerradão, and Semideciduous Forest surrounding the Pantanal Matogrossense. The genus was described by Paul Hermann Wilhelm Taubert ex Carl Christian Mez
and published in Centralblatt Botanischer 50: 21 in 1892. The type species
is Mezilaurus navalium
(Allemão) Taub. Ex Mez
.
Flower with 3 fertile stamens. Stamens of the third grade are fertile. Leaves congested at the apex of the branches, flowers in panicles with racemose endings, when present small dome over the fruit and single border. This genus is closely related to Licaria
and Aiouea
.
They are monoecious trees or shrubs with leaves alternate, usually congested at the apex of the branches, without papillae on the abaxial epidermis.
The inflorescence are panicle with racemose terminations. The flowers are monoclinic with urceolated hypanthium, uncompressed below the tepals, 6 tepals usually erect and equal, the inner surface without papillae.
Androecium with three stamens fertile, thinner fillets or undifferentiated anthers, anthers bilocelares (in Brazilian species): 1st and 2nd series with stamens absent;
3th grade with 3 stamens, pairs of glands at the base of fillets (absent in Brazilian species), reduced, never fused, anthers extrorse or apical-extrorse, exsertas general; 4th grade estaminodial absent.
Fruit is black, sometimes cupulated. The cupula when present with pateliforme summit, small in relation to the fruit and with only one margin, the tepals are deciduous.
The fruit, a berry, are an important food source for birds, usually this birds are from specialized genus: Cotingidae, Columbidae, Rhamphastidae, Trogonidae, Turdidae, etc. Birds eat the whole fruit and regurgitate seeds intact, expanding the seeds in the best conditions for germination (ornitochory
). In some species the seed dispersal
is carried out by monkey
s, chipmunk
s, porcupine
s, Opossums or fish
es.
This genus have many high commercial value plant species with few or none chemical or biological studies. At least seven species were supplied by wood industry.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in family Lauraceae
Lauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
. Mezilaurus is a neotropical genus consisting of 18-27 species occurring from Costa Rica to the southeast of Brazil (Werff 1987).
In Brazil, 13 species are identified distributed mostly in the Amazon region. In the State of Rio de Janeiro is only recorded occurrence of M. navalium (Allemão) Taub. ex Mez.
Overview
Its name Mezilaurus (half laurel) refers to its appearance similar to the genus LaurusLaurus
-Overview:Laurus is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae. The genus includes three species, whose diagnostic key characters often overlap ....
.
Mezilaurus is a neotropical botanical genus with 18-27 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of flowering plants, shrubs and trees, mostly hardwood evergreen trees belonging to the family Lauraceae
Lauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
. They are extended mostly in the drainage area of the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
but is present from Costa Rica to the Atlantic rainforest of southern Brazil. Some species are reported for Cerrado, Cerradão, and Semideciduous Forest surrounding the Pantanal Matogrossense. The genus was described by Paul Hermann Wilhelm Taubert ex Carl Christian Mez
Carl Christian Mez
Carl Christian Mez was a German botanist and university professor. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Mez when citing a botanical name.-Life and work:...
and published in Centralblatt Botanischer 50: 21 in 1892. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Mezilaurus navalium
Mezilaurus navalium
Mezilaurus navalium is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is endemic to Brazil.-Sources:* Pedralli, G. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
(Allemão) Taub. Ex Mez
Mez
- People :* Mez , stage name of Joshua Jerimiah Gomes, Trinidadian born Canadian recording artist, record producer, songwriter.* Internet Artist Mez Breeze Mez Breeze is an Australian-based artist who works with net.art...
.
Flower with 3 fertile stamens. Stamens of the third grade are fertile. Leaves congested at the apex of the branches, flowers in panicles with racemose endings, when present small dome over the fruit and single border. This genus is closely related to Licaria
Licaria
Licaria is a flowering plant genus in the family Lauraceae, endemic of Central America and South America. It is a Neotropical genus with near of 40 species.-Overview:...
and Aiouea
Aiouea
Aiouea is a botanical genus of plants in the family of the Lauraceae endemic of Central America and South America. Genus Aiouea is distributed from southern Mexico to southern Brazil and Paraguay...
.
They are monoecious trees or shrubs with leaves alternate, usually congested at the apex of the branches, without papillae on the abaxial epidermis.
The inflorescence are panicle with racemose terminations. The flowers are monoclinic with urceolated hypanthium, uncompressed below the tepals, 6 tepals usually erect and equal, the inner surface without papillae.
Androecium with three stamens fertile, thinner fillets or undifferentiated anthers, anthers bilocelares (in Brazilian species): 1st and 2nd series with stamens absent;
3th grade with 3 stamens, pairs of glands at the base of fillets (absent in Brazilian species), reduced, never fused, anthers extrorse or apical-extrorse, exsertas general; 4th grade estaminodial absent.
Fruit is black, sometimes cupulated. The cupula when present with pateliforme summit, small in relation to the fruit and with only one margin, the tepals are deciduous.
The fruit, a berry, are an important food source for birds, usually this birds are from specialized genus: Cotingidae, Columbidae, Rhamphastidae, Trogonidae, Turdidae, etc. Birds eat the whole fruit and regurgitate seeds intact, expanding the seeds in the best conditions for germination (ornitochory
Biological dispersal
Biological dispersal refers to species movement away from an existing population or away from the parent organism. Through simply moving from one habitat patch to another, the dispersal of an individual has consequences not only for individual fitness, but also for population dynamics, population...
). In some species the seed dispersal
Seed dispersal
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, including both abiotic and biotic vectors. Seeds can be dispersed away from the parent plant...
is carried out by monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s, chipmunk
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are small striped squirrels native to North America and Asia. They are usually classed either as a single genus with three subgenera, or as three genera.-Etymology and taxonomy:...
s, porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
s, Opossums or fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
es.
This genus have many high commercial value plant species with few or none chemical or biological studies. At least seven species were supplied by wood industry.
Species selected
- Mezilaurus itaubaMezilaurus itaubaMezilaurus itauba is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, and Suriname.-Sources:...
, (Meissner) Taubert ex Mez - Mezilaurus navaliumMezilaurus navaliumMezilaurus navalium is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is endemic to Brazil.-Sources:* Pedralli, G. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
, (Fr.Elias Magnus Fries-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
Allem.) Taub. - Mezilaurus anacardioides (Meisn.) Taub. ex MezMez- People :* Mez , stage name of Joshua Jerimiah Gomes, Trinidadian born Canadian recording artist, record producer, songwriter.* Internet Artist Mez Breeze Mez Breeze is an Australian-based artist who works with net.art...
- Mezilaurus caatingae van der Werff
- Mezilaurus campaucola van der Werff
- Mezilaurus crassiramea (Meisn.) Taub. ex Mez
- Mezilaurus decurrens (Ducke) Kosterm.