Taxon:  Bertholletia excelsa Humb. & Bonpl.



Summary
Genus:
Bertholletia
Family:
Lecythidaceae
Subfamily:
Lecythidoideae
Nomen number:
7022
Place of publication:
Pl. aequinoct. 1:122-127, t. 36.  1807 ("1808")
Comment:
despite the indication in TL-2 of Bonpland as the "Author of text" for this work, Bonpland is really only identified on the title page as the editor of a work jointly authored by both Humboldt and Bonpland, who thus have joint authorship of any nomenclatural novelties therein
Verified:
01/10/1995 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
10 (1  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Bertholletia nobilis Miers

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
  4. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  5. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  6. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  7. IPGRI. New World Fruits Database (on-line resource).
  8. IPGRI. New World Fruits Database (on-line resource). Note: lists as Bertholletia excelsa O. Berg
  9. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  10. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  11. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  12. Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
  13. Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
  14. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  15. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  16. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  17. Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana.
  18. Villachica, H. 1996. Frutales y hortalizas promisorios de la amazonia. In: Secretaria Pro-Tempore, Tratado de Cooperacion Amazonica. 44:85-95.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
EnglishBrazilnut  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
EnglishBrazilnut-tree  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Englishcreamnut  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
EnglishParanut  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
DutchBraziliaansche noot  2Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
Frenchnoyer de Para  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Frenchnoyer du Brésil  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanParanußbaum  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguesecastanha-do-Brasil  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguesecastanha-do-Pará  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese (Brazil)castanheira  2Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
Spanishcastaña del Brasil  2Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana.
Spanishcastaño de Pará  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanishnuez del Brasil  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish (Bolivia)tapa  2Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
Spanish (Peru)castaña  2Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
Swedishparanöt  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilAmapáAcre, Rondonia, Matto GrossoMori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilAmazonas Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilMato Grosso Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilPará Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaGuyana  Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaVenezuelaAmazonas Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBoliviaEl Beni Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaColombiaAmazonas Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeruMadre de Diose.Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
Native
Southern America
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Guyana, Venezuela [Amazonas]
  • BRAZIL: Brazil [Amapá (Acre, Rondonia, Matto Grosso), Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará]
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia [El Beni], Colombia [Amazonas], Peru [Madre de Dios (e.)]

Reference(s)
  1. Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
  2. Mori, S. A. et al. Lecythidaceae pages (on-line resource).
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Human foodnut Mori, S. A. & G. T. Prance. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II. The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2):114-118.
MaterialswoodtimberBoutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=7022. Accessed 17 April 2026.