Plathymenia
genus of plants
Plathymenia reticulata (Portuguese: vinhático) is a species of legume native to much of eastern South America. It is placed in its own genus, Platyhymenia, although other species have previously been recognised in that genus. It grows up to 30 m (98 ft) tall, and has distinctive flattened seed pods. Its wood is rot-resistant, and is widely used as a structural timber.
Description
Plathymenia reticulata grows up to 30 metres (100 ft) tall, with a diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) of up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft); in cerrado or savannah habitats, it is smaller, reaching a height of only 5 m (16 ft) and a d.b.h. of 30 cm (12 in). The leaves are alternately arranged, 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long, and bipinnate. The hermaphroditic flowers are held in cymes on short peduncles among the foliage; each flower is 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long, with five tiny white petals and numerous stamens. The seed pod is flat, 10–25 cm (3.9–9.8 in) long and 1.5–4.5 cm (0.6–1.8 in) wide, and contains 7–12 seeds, each of which is surrounded by a winged papery envelope.
Distribution and ecology
Plathymenia reticulata is a widespread tree in the cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes of South America, but is not found in the more xeric caatinga biome.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Plathymenia” is genus of plants. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Plathymenia, genus and plants, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “genus of plants” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 26, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q5462303. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Plathymenia”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Plathymenia primary sources, Plathymenia archive and Plathymenia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Plathymenia”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Plathymenia” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.