Brazil nut, Bertholletia excelsa, is a tropical evergreen in the family Lecythidaceae grew for its edible seeds (nuts). The brazil nut tree is very large with a long straight trunk that is 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) in diameter. The fruit has a thick hard shell and contains 18 to 24 angular seeds (nuts). The tree only branches in the upper regions and the long branches are covered in large, leathery, oblong-shaped leaves which form a spreading canopy. The tree produces large, pale yellow or greenish flowers and a round fruit that is approximately 15 cm (6 in) in diameter.