Monographs Details:
Authority:
Pennington, Terence D. 1981. Meliaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 28: 1-359, 418-449, 459-470. (Published by NYBG Press)
Pennington, Terence D. 1981. Meliaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 28: 1-359, 418-449, 459-470. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Meliaceae
Meliaceae
Synonyms:
Trichilia pubescens Rich., Guarea pubescens (Rich.) A.Juss., Guarea affinis A.Juss., Guarea richardiana A.Juss., Guarea spicata C.DC., Guarea huberi C.DC., Guarea ulei Harms, Ruagea microsepala Harms, Guarea microsepala (Harms) J.Macbr., Guarea davisii Sandwith, Guarea rhabdotocarpa Harms, Guarea concinna Sandwith, Guarea huberi var. peruviana C.DC. & J.Macbr.
Trichilia pubescens Rich., Guarea pubescens (Rich.) A.Juss., Guarea affinis A.Juss., Guarea richardiana A.Juss., Guarea spicata C.DC., Guarea huberi C.DC., Guarea ulei Harms, Ruagea microsepala Harms, Guarea microsepala (Harms) J.Macbr., Guarea davisii Sandwith, Guarea rhabdotocarpa Harms, Guarea concinna Sandwith, Guarea huberi var. peruviana C.DC. & J.Macbr.
Description:
Species Description - Usually a small treelet up to 3-5 m but in western Amazonia some specimens attain 20 m. In the Guianas and in central Amazonia it is common enough to be a characteristic feature of the forest understory. In the early stages of growth it is monopodial and usually unbranched and often bears pale grey or greyish-white strongly suberized, fissured bark. The first leaves are unifoliolate, and these are followed by pinnate leaves without the usual terminal bud of the genus, or if the terminal bud is present, then it is inactive. Finally the plant produces pinnate leaves with indeterminate apical growth. The flowers have a red or pink calyx and cream or white petals and the fruit is dull dark red or purple. The pericarp is slightly fleshy and the seed is surrounded by a fleshy orange sarcotesta. Flowering and fruiting occurs throughout the year.
Species Description - Usually a small treelet up to 3-5 m but in western Amazonia some specimens attain 20 m. In the Guianas and in central Amazonia it is common enough to be a characteristic feature of the forest understory. In the early stages of growth it is monopodial and usually unbranched and often bears pale grey or greyish-white strongly suberized, fissured bark. The first leaves are unifoliolate, and these are followed by pinnate leaves without the usual terminal bud of the genus, or if the terminal bud is present, then it is inactive. Finally the plant produces pinnate leaves with indeterminate apical growth. The flowers have a red or pink calyx and cream or white petals and the fruit is dull dark red or purple. The pericarp is slightly fleshy and the seed is surrounded by a fleshy orange sarcotesta. Flowering and fruiting occurs throughout the year.
Discussion:
In all cases, the character defining each of the above forms is found to intergrade through a series of less distinct specimens so that none are clearly definable. There is little or no character correlation, nor geographical or ecological replacement, as all occur in the area of Guyana-Cayenne-Amapá, Brazil. The species described as G. davisii Sandwith (Guyana) combines the characters of "huberi" (globose, tuberculate fruit), "richardiana" (suberous bark), and "concinna" (lax inflorescence). The inflorescence is capable of intermittent growth so it may vary from fasciculate to a long lax raceme on the same plant. Indumentum varies from uniformly coarsely pubescent through a series of intermediate conditions to glabrous. The capsule varies from depressed globose and prominently ribbed to globose and smooth, or globose with ribs, or globose with minute tuberculi. The variation pattern described here is far too diffuse to allow any subdivision into formal taxonomic units.RelationshipsThis subspecies is very variable and contains forms which at first sight appear to be distinct. The salient features of these are enumerated below. They are named after the species under which each form was originally described.1. Form "pubescens" is similar to the type specimen from Cayenne, with ± glabrous leaflets, flowers with a large cyathiform calyx, sometimes irregularly split; fruit usually depressed globose and ribbed but occasionally smooth. Frequent in Amapa, Brazil and Cayenne. This form is close to subsp, pubiflora but lacks the winged rhachis and raised midrib of the latter.2. Form "huberi" has a smaller calyx than "pubescens," and is characterized by the parallel secondary veins and very numerous and closely set tertiaries. The fruit is larger (up to 2 cm diameter) and globose, often minutely tuberculate, and ribbed or not. It is most commonly found in western Amazonia but occurs sporadically elsewhere.3. Form "affinis" has a prominent rather coarse indumentum on the lower leaflet surface and the fruit is smooth with a rather dense indumentum. It is found in Cayenne and adjacent Amapa, Brazil.4. Form "richardiana" often has suberous bark on the young branches, usually obovate leaflets with convergent secondary veins, and depressed globose, usually ribbed fruits. Known from the Guianas to central Amazonia.5. Form "concinna" has glabrous leaflets with numerous parallel tertiary veins and a long lax axillary inflorescence. It occurs in Guyana and Amapa, Brazil.
In all cases, the character defining each of the above forms is found to intergrade through a series of less distinct specimens so that none are clearly definable. There is little or no character correlation, nor geographical or ecological replacement, as all occur in the area of Guyana-Cayenne-Amapá, Brazil. The species described as G. davisii Sandwith (Guyana) combines the characters of "huberi" (globose, tuberculate fruit), "richardiana" (suberous bark), and "concinna" (lax inflorescence). The inflorescence is capable of intermittent growth so it may vary from fasciculate to a long lax raceme on the same plant. Indumentum varies from uniformly coarsely pubescent through a series of intermediate conditions to glabrous. The capsule varies from depressed globose and prominently ribbed to globose and smooth, or globose with ribs, or globose with minute tuberculi. The variation pattern described here is far too diffuse to allow any subdivision into formal taxonomic units.RelationshipsThis subspecies is very variable and contains forms which at first sight appear to be distinct. The salient features of these are enumerated below. They are named after the species under which each form was originally described.1. Form "pubescens" is similar to the type specimen from Cayenne, with ± glabrous leaflets, flowers with a large cyathiform calyx, sometimes irregularly split; fruit usually depressed globose and ribbed but occasionally smooth. Frequent in Amapa, Brazil and Cayenne. This form is close to subsp, pubiflora but lacks the winged rhachis and raised midrib of the latter.2. Form "huberi" has a smaller calyx than "pubescens," and is characterized by the parallel secondary veins and very numerous and closely set tertiaries. The fruit is larger (up to 2 cm diameter) and globose, often minutely tuberculate, and ribbed or not. It is most commonly found in western Amazonia but occurs sporadically elsewhere.3. Form "affinis" has a prominent rather coarse indumentum on the lower leaflet surface and the fruit is smooth with a rather dense indumentum. It is found in Cayenne and adjacent Amapa, Brazil.4. Form "richardiana" often has suberous bark on the young branches, usually obovate leaflets with convergent secondary veins, and depressed globose, usually ribbed fruits. Known from the Guianas to central Amazonia.5. Form "concinna" has glabrous leaflets with numerous parallel tertiary veins and a long lax axillary inflorescence. It occurs in Guyana and Amapa, Brazil.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Apure Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Mazaruni-Potaro Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Huánuco Peru South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Huánuco Peru South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|
Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Apure Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Mazaruni-Potaro Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Huánuco Peru South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Huánuco Peru South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|
Common Names:
Dangouti, Payaw’risili, Herbe du Cariacou, Kufiballi, Soro-sali, Tortolito Blanco
Dangouti, Payaw’risili, Herbe du Cariacou, Kufiballi, Soro-sali, Tortolito Blanco