Lecythis
| Lecythis | |
|---|---|
| Lecythis fruits and seeds. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Lecythidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Lecythidoideae |
| Genus: | Lecythis Loefl. |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Lecythis (/ˈlɛsɪθɪs/ LESS-ith-iss) is a genus of woody plants in the Lecythidaceae family first described as a genus in 1758. It is native to Central America and South America. Several species produce edible seeds and referred to by a variety of common names including paradise nut, monkey pot, cream nut, and sapucaia nut.
A phylogenetic study published in 2024 by Vargas et al. concluded that Lecythis was polyphyletic. The authors proposed leaving the core Ollaria clade in Lecythis, and placing the Poiteau and Chartacea sections of Lecythis in a revived Chytroma, the Pisonis section in a reinstated Pachylecythis, and the Corrugata clade in the new genus Guaiania.