Pithecellobium peckii S.F.Blake
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Authors
Rupert C. Barneby
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Authority
Barneby, Rupert C. & Grimes, James W. 1997. Silk tree, guanacaste, monkey's earring: A generic system for the synandrous Mimosaceae of the Americas. Part II.
, , and . Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 74: 1-149. -
Family
Mimosaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
"BRITISH HONDURAS: . . . without definite locality, 1905-07, M. E. Peck 738 (TYPE ...), 829" Holotypus & paratypus, GH!; isoparatypus (829, fragm. + photo), NY!.
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Description
Species Description - Amply foliate slender trees attaining ±10 m with trunk 1.5 dm dbh, armed at each node of the gray canaliculate pallid-lenticellate branches with a pair of stout ascending spinescent stipules, glabrous except for microscopic puberulence about some pinna- pulvini and pulvinules and for (on dorsal face of lfts) a small tuft in anterior basal angle of midrib, the firmly chartaceous lfts olivaceous subconcolorous sublustrous, the spikes of small white fragrant fls fasciculate in the axil of coeval lvs, immersed in foliage. Stipules coarsely acicular or conical subterete, 2-5 mm, persistent at defoliate nodes. Lf-formula ii-v/7- 10; lf-stks 4.5-8.5 cm, the petiole 1.3-3.8 cm, at middle 0.6-1.2 mm diam, the ventral groove broad and shallow, narrowly green-marginate, the one or the longer interpinnal segment 12-17 mm; nectary between each pinna-pair cupular, thick-rimmed, 0.6-0.8 mm diam, elevated on a short obconic stipe, similar but smaller nectaries on some pinna-rachises between first to third furthest pairs of lfts; pinnae a little accrescent distally, the rachis of further pairs 4-7.5 cm, the longer interfoliolar segments 6-7 mm; lfts alternate at base of rachis, becoming opposite or nearly so distally, their pulvinules ±0.5 x 0.5 mm, finely wrinkled, the blades except for longer terminal pair subequiform, elliptic or obscurely rhombic-elliptic from inequilateral, shallowly semicordate base, obtuse but often minutely muconulate, the larger ones 14-23 x 4-8 mm, 2.6-3.7 times as long as wide; venation pinnate, the nearly centric, straight or gently incurved midrib giving rise on each side to 5-6 major secondary veins narrowly ascending to anastomosis well within the plane margin, the tertiary venulation weak and random, the whole venation prominulous on both faces or in age becoming immersed on upper. Fl-spikes sessile, densely ±35-50-fld, the axis 1.5 3.5 cm; bracts ovate, abruptly acuminulate, 0.6-0.9 mm, persistent; fls homomorphic, serially maturing upward, the perianth 5-merous, thinly microscopically puberulent especially beyond middle; calyx shallowly campanulate or subhemispherical 1.1-1.3 x 1-1.2 mm, the depressed-deltate teeth ±0.2 mm; androecium 30-32-merous, 18-19 mm, the stemono-zone ±0.5 mm, the tube 7.5-9 mm; disc 0; ovary oblong-ovoid, densely minutely puberulent overall, elevated on a stipe 0.2-0.3 mm, cuneately contracted into the style. Pods (few seen) sessile, undulately linear or submoniliform attenuate at both ends, strongly decurved, compressed but turgidly convex over 1012 seeds, 11-17.5 x 1.2-1.7 x 0.8-1 cm, bordered (but not framed) by sutures ±3 mm wide, the stiffly coriaceous valves when ripe externally fuscous glabrate, reddish within, the seeds separated by incipient septa; dehiscence through both sutures, the valves feebly twisting; seeds 7.5-15 x 6-12 x 2-5 mm, with large aril, the seed-coat papery brittle, lustrous brown; pleurogram 0.
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Common Names
Palo de espina, waika beans
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Distribution
In riparian woodland, known only from lowland S Belize in lat. 16°20'-30', specifically on Pine Ridge and along Río Grande and Golden Stream in Toledo District. — Fl. XII-1(?).
Belize Central America|