Cedrela tonduzii C.DC.
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Authority
Pennington, Terence D. 1981. Meliaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 28: 1-359, 418-449, 459-470. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Meliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Pittier 11945, Costa Rica, El Copey, fl, fr (holotype, CR; isotypes, BM, F, GH, K, NY).
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Synonyms
Cedrela pacayana Harms
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Description
Species Description - Branchlets thick, with small but conspicuous scattered lenticels, apices pubescent with scattered hairs. Leaves large, pinnate 20-40(-50) cm long; petiole densely pubescent. Leaflets sessile or with petiolules 3-5 mm long, 5-8(-9) pairs, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, apex acuminate, base truncate or rounded, slightly asymmetrical, (7.5-)8-15(-19) cm long, (4-)5-6(-7) cm broad, coriaceous, lower surface densely tomentose or pilose, upper glabrous or with thick hairs along the midrib. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, 15-30 cm long, much shorter than or up to half as long as leaves, much-branched but terminal thyrses very dense; bracts subpersistent, conspicuous, 1.5-2 mm long, puberulous. Flowers unisexual, sessile or with pedicels to 1.5 mm long, puberulent. Calyx 5-dentate, cup-shaped, lobes deltate or acute, 1.0-1.5 mm long, puberulous with minute raised lenticels. Petals 5, free, imbricate, oblong to oblong-elliptic, fleshy, thickened along mid-line and adnate by a carina along lower 1/3 their length to gynophore, 5-8(-9) mm long, 2-3 mm broad, densely pubescent on both surfaces. Stamens 5, 2.5-3 mm long, free, filaments glabrous, adnate at base to gynophore; anthers in 6 flowers large, yellow, apiculate, in 9 flowers brown and shrivelled. Ovary in 9 flowers glabrous, globose to ovoid, 5-locular, each loculus with (8-) 10-14 ovules; style short ca. 1-1.5 mm long; style-head discoid with distinct glandular stigmatic papillae. Pistillode in 6 flowers very slender with well-developed loculi, but ovules vestigial; style very slender 2-3 mm long, glabrous; style-head thinner, lacking stigmatic papillae. Capsule obovoid, pendulous or nodding, 5-valved, valves woody, ca. 2-3 mm thick, dark brown, pitted and minutely lenticellate, (5.5-)6-8(-10) cm long. Central columella with 5 broad wings extending to apex of capsule. Seed pale brown (2.4-)4-5.5 cm long including wing. Field characters. A very large tree sometimes reaching 30 or 40 m high, with a bole ca. 1.5 m in diameter and a spreading crown of few massive, erect or ascending branches. Bark rough, dark greyish-brown, scaling in large, irregular plates. The flowers are very sweetly scented and the petals pinkish on the outside. The gynophore is yellowish-orange. The capsules fall from the tree soon after the seeds have been dispersed. All parts of the tree smell strongly of garlic when crushed. Flowering occurs between March and June (also recorded in August) and fruiting occurs in November and December (also recorded in February).
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Discussion
The timber is reported to be brown and attractive, but not very resistant to insect attack. It is used for panelling, interior decoration and furniture.
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Common Names
cedro, cedrillo, cedro amargo, cedro dulce, Cedro granadino, Cedro pochote, cedro macho, Cedro cebolla
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Distribution
A species of submontane, moist, broad-leaved forest extending from Chiapas (México) to Panamá in Central America. It may also be found growing with Pinus spp. and Liquidambar. Occurring from 1100 m-2800 m alt. It grows mostly on fertile, well-drained soils, often of volcanic origin.
Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Chimaltenango Guatemala Central America| Quiché Guatemala Central America| Honduras Central America| El Paraíso Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America| San Salvador El Salvador Central America| Chalatenango El Salvador Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America|