Caryocar


Caryocar is a genus of flowering plants, in the South American family Caryocaraceae described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1771. It is native primarily to South America with a few species extending into Central America and the West Indies.
Caryocar consists of trees that yield a strong timber. Some of the species within the genus Caryocar have edible fruits, called souari-nuts or sawarri-nuts. The most well-known species is probably the Pekea-nut. In Brazil the Pequi is most popular; it has a variety of uses, not the least among them being the production of pequi oil. Furthermore, some species are used by indigenous peoples to produce poisons for hunting.
;Species
  1. Caryocar amygdaliferum Mutis - Colombia, Panama
  2. Caryocar amygdaliforme G.Don - Ecuador, N Peru
  3. Caryocar brasiliense A.St.-Hil. - Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay
  4. Caryocar coriaceum Wittm. - N Brazil
  5. Caryocar costaricense Donn.Sm. - Costa Rica
  6. Caryocar cuneatum Wittm. - Brazil
  7. Caryocar dentatum Gleason - NW Brazil, Bolivia
  8. Caryocar edule Casar. - Bahia, Rio de Janeiro
  9. Caryocar glabrum Pers. - French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil
  10. Caryocar microcarpum Ducke - Lesser Antilles, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia
  11. Caryocar montanum Prance - Guyana, Bolívar, Roraima
  12. Caryocar nuciferum L. - Pekea-nut, Butter-nut of Guinea - St. Kitts, St. Vincent, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, N Brazil
  13. Caryocar pallidum A.C.Sm. - NW Brazil, S Venezuela, Bolivia
  14. Caryocar villosum Pers. - French Guiana, Venezuela, N Brazil, Colombia