Guarea macropetala Penn.

  • Authority

    Pennington, Terence D. 1981. Meliaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 28: 1-359, 418-449, 459-470. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Meliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Guarea macropetala Penn.

  • Type

    Type. Nee & Tyson 10989, Panamá, Province Panamá, El Llano to Carti road, fl (holotype, MO).

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Rami novelli graciles, aureo-tomentosi usque villosi, tandem pallide cinereoalbi, glabri, interdum lenticellate non suberosi. Folia pinnata, usque ad 50 cm longa, gemmula terminali incremento intermittente; petiolus semiteres; rhachis teres vel quadrangularis, primo aureo-tomentosa; petiolulus 3-6 mm. Foliola usque ad 8-juga, late oblonga vel oblanceolata, apice obtuse cuspidata, attenuata vel acuminata, basi breviter et anguste attenuata, chartacea, 14.5-22.2[17.4] cm longa, 6-9[7] cm lata; costa supera et nervi secundarii dense pubescentes, lamina glabra sed crebris punctulis exstantibus conspersa; costa infera nervique dense et grosse pubescentes, lamina sparse pubescens usque glabra, nec glanduloso-punctata necstriata; venatio eucamptodroma, costa impressa; nervi secundarii 11-14 utroque costae latere, adscendentes, arcuati, paralleli, intersecundarii nulli, tertiarii oblique, spissi, paralleli. Inflorescentia cauligena, solitaria vel geminata, 5.5-21 cm longa, in racemum vel paniculam gracilem ramulos laterales prope basin gerentem disposita, dense aureo-puberula; pedicellus latus, 1-2 mm. Calyx late cyathiformis, 6-7 mm longus, in alabastro clausus, tunc irregulariter in 3-4 lobos late ovatos, acutos vel obtusos, 2-6 mm longos dehiscens, extus adpresse puberulus. Petala 4, valvata vel paullum imbricata, 15-18 mm longa, 4-5 mm lata, ligulata vel anguste elliptica, apice acuta vel obtusa, extus dense aureo-sericea, intus glabra. Tubus stamineus 10-13 mm longus, 3-5 mm latus, margine undulatus, glaber; antherae 10-13, 2-2.2 mm longae. Nectarium breviter stipitiforme, 0.25-1.5 mm longum, apice paullum expansum, glabrum. Ovarium dense strigo-sum, 7-9-loculare, loculis 2 ovula superposita continentibus; stylus strigosus. Capsula (statu immaturo) pyriformis, apice truncata, sensim ad basin attenuata, obscure longitrorsus striata, dense papillosa, ca. 4.6 cm longa, ca. 3.4 cm lata, 8-valvata, valvis 2 semina superposita tenentibus; pericarpium 5-7 mm crassum. Semen non visum.

    Species Description - Small tree to 15 m high, of slender construction. The inflorescences are borne only on the trunk and larger branches and the flowers are described on field labels as having a reddish calyx and pink or cream corolla. Flowering has been recorded in March, April and July and the only fruiting collection in January. Small tree to 15 m high, of slender construction. The inflorescences are borne only on the trunk and larger branches and the flowers are described on field labels as having a reddish calyx and pink or cream corolla. Flowering has been recorded in March, April and July and the only fruiting collection in January.

  • Discussion

    Relationships

    Guarea macropetala is a distinctive species having affinities with other large-fruited Guarea such as G. grandifolia and G. carinata. It is easily distinguished from both, however, by the slender twigs, which lack the massive construction of those of G. grandifolia and the thick suberized bark of G. carinata. The upper surface of the leaflets is characterized by numerous minute raised dots. The tree is always cauliflorous and the inflorescence is a raceme or rarely a slender panicle, characters rarely present singly and never in combination in G. grandifolia or G. carinata.

    Guarea macropetala is a distinctive species having affinities with other large-fruited Guarea such as G. grandifolia and G. carinata. It is easily distinguished from both, however, by the slender twigs, which lack the massive construction of those of G. grandifolia and the thick suberized bark of G. carinata. The upper surface of the leaflets is characterized by numerous minute raised dots. The tree is always cauliflorous and the inflorescence is a raceme or rarely a slender panicle, characters rarely present singly and never in combination in G. grandifolia or G. carinata.

    The flowers of G. macropetala are among the largest of any American Guarea and the anther length exceeds that of all other species. The nectary is unusual in being represented by a very short scarcely expanded stipe.

    Gentry & Clewell 7047A is included in this species with some reservations. It is a specimen with very young flowers that possess 8 anthers and a 4-locular ovary. In other respects it is similar to G. macropetala.

  • Distribution

    A tree of wet evergreen lowland and lower montane forest, known only from scattered collections in Panamá.

    Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America|