Authority:

Hopkins, Helen C. F. 1986. Parkia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 43: 1-124. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Mimosaceae

Synonyms:

Parkia pectinata Benth.

Description:

Species Description - Tree to 18-35 m high. Leaves alternate, to 30 cm long. Petiole bearing a single elliptical gland on upper side between base and first pair of pinnae. Pinnae 6-15 pairs, opposite or subopposite. Leaflets 28-41 pairs, opposite, sigmoidally curved, 7-13 x 1.5-3 mm, apex acute or obtuse, base often strongly auriculate; main nerve sigmoid, curving towards distal margin at apex. Compound inflorescence axis horizontal to ascending, projecting beyond foliage, unbranched, ca. 0.5-1 m long. Peduncles to ca. ten per inflorescence, alternate, pendent, 5-26 cm long. Capitula 4.5-7 cm long, biglobose with basal staminodial fringe 4-6 cm diam. and apical part spherical or ellipsoid, 2.5-3.5 cm diam. Hermaphrodite flowers: calyx 7-9 mm long (including pseudopedicel of 0.5-1.5 mm), the lobes to ca. 1 mm long; corolla 8-11 mm long, the lobes 0.5-1 mm long; filaments exserted ca. 2-3 mm beyond calyx, free ± to base. Nectar-secreting flowers: calyx 6.5-9.5 mm long. Staminodial flowers: calyx to 8-11 mm long; corolla 9-14 mm long, the lobes 1-2 mm long; filaments exserted to 32 mm beyond calyx, irregularly united to neck of corolla. Pods strap-shaped, sometimes curved, 8.5—35 (including stipe of 0.5-7 cm) x 3.2-5.5 cm, the sutures somewhat thickened, and the coriaceous, indehiscent, sometimes velutinous valves shallowly corrugated; the cavity when fresh containing amber-colored sticky or crystalline gum. Seeds to 23 per pod, 13-18.5 x 6-12 x 5-8.5 mm, testa black. Field characters. Varying from a small to medium sized tree with a narrow bole and smallish crown to a large tree with a bole more than 1 m diameter, especially in the western part of its range. Bark sometimes reddish. Buds golden-brown. Capitula at anthesis have a bright red staminodial fringe, and the fertile and nectar-secreting flowers appear bright yellow from their anthers, the corolla itself being pale pink and the filaments cream. The pods are brown to reddish-brown, when immature often densely velutinous, when mature less so.

Discussion:

Taxonomy and relationships. This species was formerly confused with Inga pectinata Willdenow. Its relationship with P. reticulata is described under that species. The possibility of hybridization with P. igneiflora, to which it is also closely related, was discussed on p. 51.

Local names and uses. Colombia: Hain-’hoo (Makuna), má-pa (Yukuna), ken (Puinave) (all from Schultes & Cabrera 16750); guama de Perro, poá (Tatuyo) (from Patmore & Dufour 126). Venezuela: Casabe murciélago, claveillina (sic). Brazil: Faveira, visgueiro, arara-tucupi, manopé. The gummy resin which the bark exudes has medicinal uses (Corrêa, 1909). The resin around the seeds is edible (Patmo & Dufour 126).

Distribution and Ecology: Central and western Amazonian Brazil, Amazonian Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and southern Venezuela. It grows principally in forest on sandy soils (caatinga forest), and also in caatinga woodland, at up to 300 m altitude. It is largely a terra firme species although sometimes recorded from near streams or other damp situations, and occasionally from igapó. Flowering is usually recorded at the beginning of the year, or later in Venezuela. Near Manaus, new leaves were produced in September.

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Mato Grosso Brazil South America|

Common Names:

Hain-’hoo, má-pa, ken, guama de Perro, poá, Casabe murciélago, claveillina, Faveira, visgueiro, arara-tucupi, manopé