Authority:

Stace, C. A. & Alwan, A.-R A. 2010. Combretaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 107: 1-369. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Combretaceae

Synonyms:

Conocarpus racemosus L.

Description:

Species Description - Evergreen mangrove shrub or tree 0.5-12 m, with stilt-roots and often simple "peg-root" pneumatophores, without spines. Leaves 3-12x2-6cm, coriaceous or somewhat succulent, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, obtuse to rounded or sometimes retuse at apex, rounded to obtusely cuneate at base, glabrous when fully expanded but usually sericeous when very young; domatia absent; minute pits, each with basal gland, visible as pimples on both leaf surfaces to very varying degrees, usually mostly submarginal. Venation brochidodromous; midvein moderate, slightly prominent; secondary veins 9-18 pairs, close to moderately spaced, originating at narrowly acute angles and slightly decurrent on to midvein, mostly slightly recurved, scarcely prominent; intersecondary veins common; tertiary veins randomly reticulate; areolation incomplete, not prominent. Petiole 0.7-2(-2.5) cm, usually sericeous at first but soon glabrous, with 2 sessile glands distally. Inflorescences 2-20 cm, axillary or terminal simple spikes or racemes of spikes, variously with male, female, or bisexual flowers; plants bisexual to dioecious; inflorescence axes and young stems usually densely sericeous; rhachis to 18 cm. Flowers pentamerous, the male ones ca. 2x3-4(-5) mm, the female/bisexual ones 3.5-6.5x3-4(-5) mm, gradually elongating in fruit; lower hypanthium 2-4 mm in bisexual/female flowers, obconical, densely fulvous-sericeous or rarely glabrous, with 2 subapical prophylls (bracteoles) each resembling a calyx-lobe; upper hypanthium 1.5-2.5 mm incl. erect to incurved calyx lobes ca. 1 mm, shallowly cupuliform, densely fulvous-sericeous or rarely glabrous; disk pubescent at outer edge; petals ca. 1.5 mm, broadly ovate, obtuse at apex, pubescent abaxially; stamens 1-2 mm, scarcely exserted, style 1-1.5 mm, glabrous, scarcely exserted. Fruits 12-20x4-10mm, retaining upper hypanthium, calyx, and prophylls (bracteoles) but losing petals and stamens, obconical to fusiform, somewhat flattened laterally, longitudinally irregularly ridged and with 2 narrow longitudinal wings to 1.5 mm wide running down from prophyll midveins, densely fulvous-sericeous to -tomentose, rarely glabrous. Reproductive biology. Flowers white, cream-colored, whitish green, greenish yellow, yellow; sweetly scented; insect-pollinated, especially by bees. Flowering and fruiting throughout most of year. Sex expression is variable, but Tomlinson (1986) considered the species to be mainly dioecious, at least in Florida. The spongy fruit-wall is well adapted for sea-dispersal (Guppy, 1917). Cotyledons 2, epigeal, ca. 4-4.5 x 2.5-3 cm, obovate to elliptic, rounded at apex, cuneate at base, in texture similar to leaves but with few glandular pits. The fruit is to a certain degree viviparous, the embryo rupturing the testa and occasionally the radicle protruding from the fruit while still on the tree (Gooding et al., 1965), and Guppy (1917) reported it further developing while floating in the sea. Some aspects of growth and organization of L. racemosa (in Guinea, West Africa) are given by Diallo et al. (1995).

Discussion:

Uses. Wood hard; used for stakes, supports and other external uses, and for firewood. The bark is rich in tannins and with the leaves is used for curing leather. Fruits eaten by macaques (Puerto Rico). In Africa used for timber, tanning, dyeing, and medicaments.

Illustrations. Figs. 12e & 13f, g (epidermis), 18 (trichomes), 23a (pollen), 30 (portrait), 31 (habit & fruits). Brandis (1893), p. 128; Correll & Correll (1982), p. 1033; Eichler (1867), fl & fr, pi. 35; Exell (1958), p. 163; Exell & Reitz (1967), p. 23; Jenik (1970), root, pp. 107-110; Proctor (1984), p. 501; Sargent (1893), fig. 203; Stace & Alwan (1998), p. 344; Tomlinson (1986), p. 221; Valente et al. (1994), fr, pp. 46-50; Wiggins (1980), p. 628; Wiggins & Porter (1971), p. 556.

Although Laguncularia is an easily recognized plant it is quite commonly misidentified as some other mangrove genus. The distinctive glandular pimple-like pits on the leaves and the two prophylls (bracteoles) fused to the lower hypanthium are diagnostic. The epithets longifolia and obovata do not merit taxonomic recognition. Plants with glabrous inflorescence axes, fruits and flowers, and young stems, leaves and petioles (L. glabriflora) are distinct in this single character and occur very scattered throughout much of the range of the species; recognition as a variety seems most appropriate.

Distribution and Ecology: (Fig. 29). This is a characteristic mangrove species in tropical America, often occurring with Rhizophora and Avicennia but sometimes in pure stands. It occurs in mangrove swamps, usually on the landward side, in standing water or daily submerged, in other strand vegetation and also in coastal scrub or disturbed ground only irregularly flooded, at 0-10 m, or exceptionally to 200 m in Colombia. Rabinowitz (1978) suggested that the zonation of mangroves (Laguncularia, Avicennia Pelliciera, Rhizophora) in Panama does not depend on the differential tolerance of these genera to physiological conditions but to tidal sorting of the seeds the heavier ones occurring on the seaward side. It is found on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of tropical America from Baja California Sur (27° N), Florida (28°30' N), and Bahamas (apparently not in Bermuda, fide Britton, 1918) throughout West Indies to Santa Catarina (ca. 28°30' S) and extreme northern Peru (ca. 3°30' S), including Galapagos. In West Africa L. racemosa occurs from Senegal (ca. 12°30' N) to Angola (ca. 9° S) (Fig. 28).

Common Names:

white mangrove, mangle bianco, mangue branco, bastard buttonwood, green turtle bough, palétuvier, paltivyé, mangle gris, Tom House mangrove, mereicillo, but-nuut, furilia, pelétuvier gris, ankira, akira, furilia, comodero, mangi branco, mangi mariso, mangue manso, tinteira, mangue amarello, mangue de sapateiro