Taxon Details: Swartzia sumorum Ant.Molina
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Family:
Fabaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Fabaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Swartzia sumorum Ant.Molina
Swartzia sumorum Ant.Molina
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
This name is currently accepted.
Description:
Author: Benjamin M. Torke
Type: Nicaragua. Zelaya Norte: bosque guamil de Tourmarín [Tumarín], Río Grande [Río Grande de Matagalpa], 25 Apr 1949 (fr), A. Molina 2393 (holotype: US-2215951; isotypes: GH, US).
Description: Tree, to ca. 25 m; bark scaly; exudate often present in trunk and branches, oxidizing red; young branchlets minute-strigulose. Stipules triangular, 0.4-1.1 mm, minute-strigulose externally. Leaves imparipinnate, with 2-4 pairs of lateral leaflets; petioles marginate above, 2.4-5.5 cm, minute-strigulose; rachis bicarinate above, often winged in saplings, sometimes minutely stipellate at leaflets, (3.5-) 5-10.2 cm, minute-strigulose; petiolules 3-6 mm, minute-strigulose; leaflet blades chartaceous, elliptic to obovate, the largest 11-17 x 4-9 cm, the smallest 7.5-13.5 x 3-5.5 cm, base acute, apex rounded to obtuse, often with a short acumen, upper surface mostly glabrous, minute-strigulose on midrib, lower surface sparsely to moderately minute-strigulose, more densely so on midrib, midrib and other veins impressed above, salient below. Inflorescences borne on defoliate portion of branches, often 2-several-fasciculate, to ca. 50-flowered; axes 5-15 cm, minute-strigulose; bracts broadly triangular, 0.4-0.6 mm, minute-strigulose abaxially, estipulate; pedicels 1.8-4.5 mm, minute-strigulose; bracteoles lacking; flower buds globose, umbonate, 3.2-4 mm and equally wide. Calyx glabrous internally, sparsely minute-stigulose externally; segments 3-4, 3-4 mm. Corolla lacking. Stamens 30-40, glabrous, arranged in single group, filaments 3-6.5 mm, anthers ovate or elliptic to oblong in outline, 1-1.6 mm. Gynoecium with stipe 0.8-1.7 mm and sparsely pilulose; ovary narrowly arcuate-elliptic in outline, 2.8-4 x 1-1.2 mm, mostly glabrous, sparsely pilulose at base; style terminal or oblique, ca. 1-2 mm, glabrous; stigma obliquely truncate to capitellate. Fruits maturing bright orange, glabrous; stipe ca. 2-3 mm; body ellipsoid, 3.5-5.5 (-6.9) x 1.5-2.5 cm, base and apex attenuate. Seeds 1-2, ellipsoid, 1.8-2.2 x 1.2-1.5 cm; aril orange-red, completely enclosing seed.
Common names: Uvillo (Spanish); geographic location: Nicaragua; source: Molina 2393. Bulwaian (Tawahka); geographic location: Honduras; source: House and Cubas 2769.
Distribution: Caribbean lowlands and intermountain valleys in western Honduras and northwestern Nicaragua, at less than 1000 m elevation.
Ecology: Swartzia sumorum occurs in humid tropical evergreen forests, on level or hilly terrain, sometimes near rivers, usually on clay soils. The species has also been found in secondary forests and pasture. Ants may be attracted to the foliage and/or exudate (Torke 363). Pollinators and dispersers are unknown, although the flowers appear to be adapted to bee pollination, while the orange-red arils are likely to be eaten by birds.
Phenology: Flowers are known from April and October, mature fruits from February and March.
Taxonomic notes: Swartzia sumorum belongs to the Central American apetalous clade of Swartzia section Terminales. It is probably most closely related to S. nicaraguensis, with which it shares small flowers, poorly differentiated larger and smaller stamens, typically 1-2-seeded fruits with a bright orange-red aril that completely envelopes the seed. Swartzia sumorum differs from S. nicaraguensis mostly notably in its unwinged leaf rachis and larger leaflets. In its area of distribution, S. sumorum probably co-occurs with the closely related species S. phaneroptera, but the latter species has a distinctly winged leaf rachis, adaxially-raised leaflet venation (immersed in S. sumorum), larger flowers, a densely pubescent ovary (glabrous in S. sumorum), and typically multi-seeded moniliform fruits.
Uses: The Tawahka in Honduras drink the cooked cortex (boiled exudate?) to treat menstrual and labor pains and use the wood for making posts (House and Cubas 2769).
Conservation status: Data are insufficient to make a formal assessment of the conservation status of S. sumorum. As of 2011, the species is known from fewer than 15 collections. Although it appears to have a fairly large geographical distribution, S. sumorum may be threatened by rampant and ongoing conversion of forest to cattle pasture throughout its range. During a fieldtrip in northwestern Nicaragua in 2005, Torke encountered the species on three occasions, two of these where solitary, apparently remnant, individuals growing in pasture-dominated landscapes. Significantly, the species is known to occur in the Reserva Bosawas in Nicaragua, which is a focus of current conservation efforts in the region.
Author: Benjamin M. Torke
Type: Nicaragua. Zelaya Norte: bosque guamil de Tourmarín [Tumarín], Río Grande [Río Grande de Matagalpa], 25 Apr 1949 (fr), A. Molina 2393 (holotype: US-2215951; isotypes: GH, US).
Description: Tree, to ca. 25 m; bark scaly; exudate often present in trunk and branches, oxidizing red; young branchlets minute-strigulose. Stipules triangular, 0.4-1.1 mm, minute-strigulose externally. Leaves imparipinnate, with 2-4 pairs of lateral leaflets; petioles marginate above, 2.4-5.5 cm, minute-strigulose; rachis bicarinate above, often winged in saplings, sometimes minutely stipellate at leaflets, (3.5-) 5-10.2 cm, minute-strigulose; petiolules 3-6 mm, minute-strigulose; leaflet blades chartaceous, elliptic to obovate, the largest 11-17 x 4-9 cm, the smallest 7.5-13.5 x 3-5.5 cm, base acute, apex rounded to obtuse, often with a short acumen, upper surface mostly glabrous, minute-strigulose on midrib, lower surface sparsely to moderately minute-strigulose, more densely so on midrib, midrib and other veins impressed above, salient below. Inflorescences borne on defoliate portion of branches, often 2-several-fasciculate, to ca. 50-flowered; axes 5-15 cm, minute-strigulose; bracts broadly triangular, 0.4-0.6 mm, minute-strigulose abaxially, estipulate; pedicels 1.8-4.5 mm, minute-strigulose; bracteoles lacking; flower buds globose, umbonate, 3.2-4 mm and equally wide. Calyx glabrous internally, sparsely minute-stigulose externally; segments 3-4, 3-4 mm. Corolla lacking. Stamens 30-40, glabrous, arranged in single group, filaments 3-6.5 mm, anthers ovate or elliptic to oblong in outline, 1-1.6 mm. Gynoecium with stipe 0.8-1.7 mm and sparsely pilulose; ovary narrowly arcuate-elliptic in outline, 2.8-4 x 1-1.2 mm, mostly glabrous, sparsely pilulose at base; style terminal or oblique, ca. 1-2 mm, glabrous; stigma obliquely truncate to capitellate. Fruits maturing bright orange, glabrous; stipe ca. 2-3 mm; body ellipsoid, 3.5-5.5 (-6.9) x 1.5-2.5 cm, base and apex attenuate. Seeds 1-2, ellipsoid, 1.8-2.2 x 1.2-1.5 cm; aril orange-red, completely enclosing seed.
Common names: Uvillo (Spanish); geographic location: Nicaragua; source: Molina 2393. Bulwaian (Tawahka); geographic location: Honduras; source: House and Cubas 2769.
Distribution: Caribbean lowlands and intermountain valleys in western Honduras and northwestern Nicaragua, at less than 1000 m elevation.
Ecology: Swartzia sumorum occurs in humid tropical evergreen forests, on level or hilly terrain, sometimes near rivers, usually on clay soils. The species has also been found in secondary forests and pasture. Ants may be attracted to the foliage and/or exudate (Torke 363). Pollinators and dispersers are unknown, although the flowers appear to be adapted to bee pollination, while the orange-red arils are likely to be eaten by birds.
Phenology: Flowers are known from April and October, mature fruits from February and March.
Taxonomic notes: Swartzia sumorum belongs to the Central American apetalous clade of Swartzia section Terminales. It is probably most closely related to S. nicaraguensis, with which it shares small flowers, poorly differentiated larger and smaller stamens, typically 1-2-seeded fruits with a bright orange-red aril that completely envelopes the seed. Swartzia sumorum differs from S. nicaraguensis mostly notably in its unwinged leaf rachis and larger leaflets. In its area of distribution, S. sumorum probably co-occurs with the closely related species S. phaneroptera, but the latter species has a distinctly winged leaf rachis, adaxially-raised leaflet venation (immersed in S. sumorum), larger flowers, a densely pubescent ovary (glabrous in S. sumorum), and typically multi-seeded moniliform fruits.
Uses: The Tawahka in Honduras drink the cooked cortex (boiled exudate?) to treat menstrual and labor pains and use the wood for making posts (House and Cubas 2769).
Conservation status: Data are insufficient to make a formal assessment of the conservation status of S. sumorum. As of 2011, the species is known from fewer than 15 collections. Although it appears to have a fairly large geographical distribution, S. sumorum may be threatened by rampant and ongoing conversion of forest to cattle pasture throughout its range. During a fieldtrip in northwestern Nicaragua in 2005, Torke encountered the species on three occasions, two of these where solitary, apparently remnant, individuals growing in pasture-dominated landscapes. Significantly, the species is known to occur in the Reserva Bosawas in Nicaragua, which is a focus of current conservation efforts in the region.
Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):
Swartzia sumorum Ant.Molina: [Article] Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228.
Swartzia sumorum Ant.Molina: [Article] Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228.