Genus of trees
Ocotea is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. Many are evergreen trees with lauroid leaves.
There are over 520 species currently accepted within the genus, distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas (around 300 species) including the Caribbean and West Indies, but also with some species in Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. One species ("O. foetens") is native to the Macaronesia (in Canary Islands and Madeira). The genus is suspected to be paraphyletic.
Description.
They are trees or shrubs, occasionally with adventitious roots ("O. hartshorniana", "O. insularis"). Leaves simple, alternate, rarely opposite or whorled. The leaves are lauroid, they are commonly dark green glossy with sometimes brown on the underside and fragrant oil cells.
The African and Madagascan species all have bisexual flowers (possessing both male and female parts), whereas many of the American species have flowers that are unisexual (either male or female).
The apetalous flowers are in small panicles.
The fruits are globose or oblong berries, 3–5 cm in length, hard and fleshy and at the junction of the peduncle part with the fruit covered by a cup-shaped, occasionally flat, cupule, giving them an appearance similar to an acorn. The fruit is dark green, gradually darkening with maturity. The cupule at the base of the berry, can be more brightly colored. The fruit has a single seed wrapped in a hard coat and can be slightly lignified.
Names.
The genus has no standard common name. Names often refer to the aroma of the wood, which can be strong and not always pleasant. Sweetwood is usually applied only to this genus, although many names are also applied to this genus and other genera:
The common names of some species refer to their similarity to other Lauraceae such as "Sassafras" (Brazilian sassafras: "O. odorifera") or "Laurus" (Cape laurel: "O. bullata", Sword laurel: "O. floribunda", Guaika laurel: "O. puberula", etc.).
Distribution and habitat.
Most species of "Ocotea" are distributed across the tropical Americas, from Mexico to Northern Argentina including the West Indies. Species are also found in eastern Africa from South Africa to Ethiopia, in Gabon and Republic of the Congo in Central Africa, and on Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. One species, "Ocotea foetens", is native to the Canary Islands and Madeira in the North Atlantic.
"Ocotea" species are distributed in subtropical and tropical regions, often at higher elevations. They are characteristic plants of many tropical and subtropical montane forests such as the Araucaria moist forests, Yungas, and Talamancan montane forests in the Americas, Afromontane forests including the Knysna-Amatole montane forests in Africa, and Laurisilva in the Macaronesian islands. In Madagascar and Brazil they also occur in lowland forests.
Ecology.
Most relatively small fruit species are of great environmental importance because they are the food of many endemic birds and mammals, especially in Islands, and premontane and montane forests. The leaves of "Ocotea" species are the food source for the caterpillars of several species of endemic Lepidoptera, including several species of "Memphis". Some "Memphis" caterpillars feed solely on the leaves of one species of "Ocotea"; for example "M. mora" feeds only on "O. cernua", and "M. boisduvali" feeds only on "O. veraguensis"
Seed distribution of some "Ocotea" species is performed by frugivorous birds such as toucans, the three-wattled bellbird (family Cotingidae), quetzal and Cape parrot. "Ocotea" fruit is also consumed by several Columbiformes such as "Columba trocaz", Delegorgue's pigeon, Bolle's pigeon ("Columba bollii"), African wood pigeon, and American doves.
Most of the African tree species are ancient paleoendemic species, which in ancient times were widely distributed on the continent. This is not the case in the Americas: 89 species have been collected in Venezuela alone.
Species of "Ocotea" can be attacked by various rot-inducing root pathogens, including "Loweporus inflexibilis", "Phellinus apiahynus" and "Phytophthora cinnamomi".
Some "Ocotea" species are used as nesting sites by ants, which may live in leaf pockets or in hollowed-out stems. The ants patrol their host plants more frequently in response to disturbance or to the appearance of insect pests such as grasshoppers.
Uses.
"Ocotea" produce essential oils, which are rich in camphor and safrole. East African camphorwood ("O. usambarensis"), Peruvian rosewood ("O. cernua") and Brazilian sassafras ("O. odorifera") are traded internationally.
Dried fruit cupules of ishpingo ("O. quixos") are used in Ecuador to flavor beverages, such as colada morada.
Some fast growing "Ocotea" tree species are harvested commercially for timber. These include "O. puberula", "O. bullata" (black or true stinkwood) and "O. usambarensis". The timber is valued for its resistance to fungal decay.
"O. odorifera" (Brazilian sassafras) and "O. kuhlmanni" are frequently used as honey plants.
Selected species.
The following are some of the species of "Ocotea". Distinguishing "Ocotea" species from "Nectandra" and other close relatives is problematic. "Povedadaphne" may be better placed in "Ocotea".
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Fossil record.
†"Ocotea hradekensis" from the early Miocene, has been described from fragmentary fossil leaf compressions that have been found in the Kristina Mine at Hrádek nad Nisou in North Bohemia, the Czech Republic. "O. foetens" from the Canary Islands is its nearest living relative. Fossil †"Ocotea heerii" leaf impressions of Messinian age (ca. 5.7 Ma) have been uncovered in Monte Tondo, northern Apennines, Italy.
References.
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