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:
Guarea ruagea C.DC., Guarea mollicoma Pittier, Ruagea mollicoma (Pittier) Harms
Guarea ruagea C.DC., Guarea mollicoma Pittier, Ruagea mollicoma (Pittier) Harms
Description:
Species Description - Young branches stout, densely pubescent to tomentose, indumentum persistent. Bud scales absent. Leaves imparipinnate, without apical growth, 12.5-24 cm long; petiole semiterete, rhachis terete, tomentose; petiolule of lateral leaflets 2-5 mm long, petiolule of terminal leaflet to 23 mm long. Leaflets opposite, 7-11(-13), elliptic, oblong, oblanceolate or obovate, apex rounded, obtuse or truncate, base slightly oblique, cuneate, acute or obtuse, margin usually strongly revolute, terminal leaflet with a regular (not oblique), attenuate or cuneate base, coriaceous, 10.5-17(-21)[ 15.5] cm long, 5-8.5(10.5)[7.9] cm broad, upper surface with densely pubescent midrib and secondary veins, lamina sometimes with minute crateriform excrescences, lower surface with densely short pubescent to tomentose midrib and secondary veins, lower lamina usually pubescent, hairs intermixed with minute red papillae or less frequently glabrous; venation eucamptodromous to brochidodromous; secondaries 10-15 on either side of midrib, shallowly ascending, prominently raised on lower surface, arcuate, parallel; intersecondaries short to moderate; tertiaries widely spaced, reticulate. Flowers unisexual, plants dioecious; inflorescence axillary 25-30 cm long, a slender or broad panicle with lateral, widely-spreading branches to 12 cm long, densely pubescent to tomentose; pedicel 1-2 mm long. Calyx patelliform in open flower, sepals 1-1.5 mm long, ovate-acute to orbicular, ciliate, pubescent to subglabrous outside. Petals 9-9.5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm broad, oblong, apex rounded, glabrous. Staminal tube short cylindrical, 5-7 mm long, 3-3.5 mm broad, margin crenulate, glabrous; anthers 10, 1.5-1.7 mm long, with a short basal appendage, glabrous; antherodes narrower, without pollen, not dehiscing. Nectary a short broad stipe, 0.5-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary 3(-4)-locular, loculi with 2 superposed ovules, glabrous; style stout, glabrous, gradually tapering to discoid style-head; pistillode similar with well-developed abortive ovules. Capsule ± globose, sometimes with a short stipe, smooth, dark brown with large prominent pale lenticels, glabrous, 2-3 cm diam., 3-valved, valves usually 1-seeded; pericarp 2-3 mm thick. Seed 1-1.5 cm long, when solitary in valve then with a thick basal sarcotesta, when 2 superposed in valve then partially surrounded by a fleshy arillode; seed coat membraneous; hilum large. Embryo with plano-convex, collateral cotyledons; radicle apical, extending to the surface.
Species Description - Young branches stout, densely pubescent to tomentose, indumentum persistent. Bud scales absent. Leaves imparipinnate, without apical growth, 12.5-24 cm long; petiole semiterete, rhachis terete, tomentose; petiolule of lateral leaflets 2-5 mm long, petiolule of terminal leaflet to 23 mm long. Leaflets opposite, 7-11(-13), elliptic, oblong, oblanceolate or obovate, apex rounded, obtuse or truncate, base slightly oblique, cuneate, acute or obtuse, margin usually strongly revolute, terminal leaflet with a regular (not oblique), attenuate or cuneate base, coriaceous, 10.5-17(-21)[ 15.5] cm long, 5-8.5(10.5)[7.9] cm broad, upper surface with densely pubescent midrib and secondary veins, lamina sometimes with minute crateriform excrescences, lower surface with densely short pubescent to tomentose midrib and secondary veins, lower lamina usually pubescent, hairs intermixed with minute red papillae or less frequently glabrous; venation eucamptodromous to brochidodromous; secondaries 10-15 on either side of midrib, shallowly ascending, prominently raised on lower surface, arcuate, parallel; intersecondaries short to moderate; tertiaries widely spaced, reticulate. Flowers unisexual, plants dioecious; inflorescence axillary 25-30 cm long, a slender or broad panicle with lateral, widely-spreading branches to 12 cm long, densely pubescent to tomentose; pedicel 1-2 mm long. Calyx patelliform in open flower, sepals 1-1.5 mm long, ovate-acute to orbicular, ciliate, pubescent to subglabrous outside. Petals 9-9.5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm broad, oblong, apex rounded, glabrous. Staminal tube short cylindrical, 5-7 mm long, 3-3.5 mm broad, margin crenulate, glabrous; anthers 10, 1.5-1.7 mm long, with a short basal appendage, glabrous; antherodes narrower, without pollen, not dehiscing. Nectary a short broad stipe, 0.5-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary 3(-4)-locular, loculi with 2 superposed ovules, glabrous; style stout, glabrous, gradually tapering to discoid style-head; pistillode similar with well-developed abortive ovules. Capsule ± globose, sometimes with a short stipe, smooth, dark brown with large prominent pale lenticels, glabrous, 2-3 cm diam., 3-valved, valves usually 1-seeded; pericarp 2-3 mm thick. Seed 1-1.5 cm long, when solitary in valve then with a thick basal sarcotesta, when 2 superposed in valve then partially surrounded by a fleshy arillode; seed coat membraneous; hilum large. Embryo with plano-convex, collateral cotyledons; radicle apical, extending to the surface.
Discussion:
RelationshipsA well characterized species with imparipinnate leaves. The leaflets are densely pubescent or tomentose, strongly coriaceous, usually obovate or oblanceolate, rounded or truncate at the apex, and strongly revolute at the margins. The rather large flowers have the quincuncial aestivation of calyx and corolla, typical of the genus, and a glabrous ovary.
RelationshipsA well characterized species with imparipinnate leaves. The leaflets are densely pubescent or tomentose, strongly coriaceous, usually obovate or oblanceolate, rounded or truncate at the apex, and strongly revolute at the margins. The rather large flowers have the quincuncial aestivation of calyx and corolla, typical of the genus, and a glabrous ovary.
Field Characters: Tree to 25 m with sweet-scented, cream-coloured flowers. The mature fruit is yellowish or pale orange. Flowering has been recorded from November to February, mature fruit June to December.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America| Boyacá Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Bolívar Ecuador South America|
Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America| Boyacá Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Bolívar Ecuador South America|
Common Names:
cedro, Espermo, cedrillo de montaña
cedro, Espermo, cedrillo de montaña