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Additional Resources:

Family:

Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Phytologia 1: 124. 1935

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Author: Scott A. Mori and Ghillean T. Prance

Type: Brazil. Pará: Near Belém, 6 Sep 1829 (fl), Burchell 9618 (lectotype, K, photo NY, designated Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. II. 1990; isolectotypes, BM- fragment, K, NY-2 sheets, P).

Description: Canopy trees, to 40 m x 60 cm, the bole cylindric, unbuttressed, sometimes with slight fluting at base. Bark peeling in irregular plates, scalloped, the outer bark thin, ca. 1 mm thick, the inner bark ca. 6 mm thick, bright pink when first cut, oxidizing to red. Leaves not obviously flushing just before flowering; petioles 5-12 mm long, slightly decurrent, sometimes puberulous, especially when young; blades usually elliptic, sometimes narrowly obovate, 6.5-13.5 x 3-6.5 cm, completely glabrous to puberulous on midrib abaxially, without obvious punctae, chartaceous, the base acute, obtuse, or rounded, the margins entire, the apex acuminate; secondary veins in 6-12 pairs. Inflorescences racemose, terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, unbranched or once-branched, the principal rachis 3-10 cm long, pubescent; pedicel 3-10 mm long, pubescent. Flowers 2-2.5 cm diam.; hypanthium abruptly constricted into well-defined pedicel, pubescent; calyx with 6 lobes, the lobes widely ovate, 2-3.5 x 2-2.5 mm, ascending, not or only slightly imbricate; petals 6, widely obovate, 9-16 x 7-10 mm, white (sometimes yellow?), sometimes tinged with pink; androecium with staminal ring asymmetric, with 60-150 stamens, the filaments 0.8-1.1 mm long, tapered at apex, white, the anthers ca. 0.4-0.5 mm long, gold; hood ca. 10 x 10 mm, with distinct double coil, light yellow inside and out; ovary 2-locular, the style to 2 mm long. Fruits small, turbinate, the base 3-5 x 3-5 cm (including persistent, woody pedicel), the calycine ring inserted near apex, the pericarp ca. 5 mm thick. Seeds not seen.

Common names: Brazil: matamatá (a name applied to many species of Eschweilera and some species of Lecythis throughout Amazonian Brazil), ripeiro, ripeiro amarelo.

Distribution: Distributed in French Guiana and from central to eastern Amazonian Brazil.

Ecology: Eschweilera apiculata is a canopy tree of non-flooded forests.

Phenology: This species flowers from Apr to Dec.

Pollination: No observations recorded but most likely pollinated by bees.

Dispersal: Seeds not know but most likely with a lateral aril that is probably eaten by unknown animals.

Predation: No observations recorded.

Field characters: Eschweilera apiculata is distinguished by its scalloped bark; deep red color of the inner bark; small flowers; a well-defined, pubescent pedicel; and small, turbinate fruits.

Taxonomic notes: Although the type, Burchell 9618, gives no indication of the collecting locality, it most certainly was gathered in the vicinity of Belém (Smith & Smith, 1967). In most individuals, the petals are white and the androecial hood is yellow. However, some labels of collections from Central Amazonia state that the flowers are yellow and specimens from central Amazonian Brazil have their petals tinged with pink. The fruits of the central Amazonian population may be larger than those of the French Guianan and eastern Amazonian populations. Further study may show that the central Amazonian population merits taxonomic recognition. Like most small-flowered species of Eschweilera, this species is poorly defined and needs further study.

Uses: None recorded.

Etymology: The species epithet refers to the "apiculate" leaf apex of this species.

Conservation: IUCN Red List: not on list (IUCN, 2011.2).

Source: This species page is based on Mori in Mori & Prance, 1990.

Acknowledgements: We thank Carol A. Gracie for allowing us to display her images of this species.

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Eschweilera apiculata (Miers) A.C.Sm.: [Article] Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376.