Brazil-nut tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Brazil-nut Tree
• Para Nut
• Brazilnut
• Brazilnut-tree
• creamnut

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bertholletia nobilis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized into the order Ericales and the family Lecythidaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Bertholletia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Bertholletia excelsa, exhibits a specific geographical range across several tropical regions. In the Northwestern Pacific, its distribution includes the Caroline Islands. Moving to the South American continent, it is widely found throughout the northern territories. Specifically, it thrives within the borders of French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname. Finally, its presence extends into the northernmost parts of Venezuela.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Bertholletia excelsa is characterized by its presence in specific environmental niches, primarily thriving within terra firme forests and occasionally occurring in anthropic areas. This species occupies a defined altitudinal gradient, found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 80 m AMSL to a maximum of 480 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

480 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

80 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta de Terra Firme

Life history

The life history of Bertholletia excelsa is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem over many decades. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs high above the ground, developing into a massive tree structure that dominates the forest canopy. This life form is further classified under the phanerophyte category, emphasizing its substantial woody growth. Throughout its long lifespan, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage year-round to support continuous metabolic processes and energy production.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Bertholletia excelsa is characterized by its massive growth form, as it is a large, woody tree. This species is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, existing instead as an independent organism. It is strictly a terrestrial species, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies. Reaching impressive dimensions, the plant typically attains a mean height of approximately 40 m, though it has the capacity to reach a maximum height of up to 65 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

65 m

Plant height mean:

40 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Bertholletia excelsa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation process and metabolic efficiency within its tropical rainforest habitat. As a non-nitrogen-fixing species, the plant does not possess the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, making it reliant on the availability of organic nitrogen within the soil ecosystem for its growth and development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Bertholletia excelsa is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects, with bees playing a specific and significant role in the process. The species exhibits a lack of self-fertilization, meaning the absence of self-pollination necessitates external agents to ensure successful sexual reproduction. Once fertilization occurs, the plant produces seeds with a highly consistent mass, recorded at a mean, minimum, and maximum of 6.5 g. Regarding the movement of these seeds away from the parent plant, the species utilizes a hydrochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on water for the transport and distribution of its progeny.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

6.5 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Bertholletia excelsa has 85 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include COPPER, MAGNESIUM, SELENIUM, ZINC, 3,3'-di-o-methyl ellagic acid.

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

MAGNESIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

SELENIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

ZINC

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

3,3'-di-o-methyl ellagic acid

1. Dr. Duke

3-o-methyl ellagic acid

1. Dr. Duke

AFLATOXINS

1. Journal of AOAC International

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

ANTIMONY

1. Dr. Duke

ARSENIC

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Bertholletia excelsa has 477 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, 5-HETE-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor, AP-1-Inhibitor, ATPase-Inhibitor.

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Acnegenic

1. Dr. Duke

Adjuvant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Bertholletia excelsa has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, cognitive impairment, dyslipidemia, malaria, renal failure.

Cancer

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Cognitive impairment

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Dyslipidemia

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Renal failure

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Preparations

Bertholletia excelsa has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include AGBe, AGBe oil.

Agbe

1. Inflammopharmacology

Agbe oil

1. Inflammopharmacology