Conocarpus erectus L.
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Authority
Stace, C. A. & Alwan, A.-R A. 2010. Combretaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 107: 1-369. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Combretaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
(Typotype: Sloane Herbarium vol. 5, fol. 63, fide C. E. Jarvis). The localities given in the protologue are Jamaicae, Bermudensium, Brasiliae maritimis.
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Synonyms
Terminalia erecta (L.) Baill.
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Description
Species Description - Evergreen mangrove-like shrub or tree 2-20 m, without pneumatophores but sometimes with stilt-roots, without spines. Leaves 3-12 × 0.6-3.5cm (incl. petiole), coriaceous, narrowly elliptic or sometimes elliptic, tapering narrowly acute to acuminate at apex, gradually decurrent to narrowly acute base, usually glabrous or nearly so but sometimes densely silvery-sericeous; domatia conspicuous as bowl-shaped pits in axils of most secondary veins abaxially. Venation brochidodromous; midvein moderate, prominent; secondary veins 4-7 pairs, moderately spaced, originating at widely acute angles, curved, slightly prominent; intersecondary veins common; tertiary and higher order veins scarcely visible. Petiole 0-3 mm, biglandular on petiole or at base of leaf. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal raceme or sparse panicle of more or less globose flower-heads, to ca. 15 cm but usually much less, sometimes with leaves at lower nodes, possibly functionally dioecious but with range of morphological development of male and female organs, often apparently male and bisexual flowers in same head; peduncles densely silvery-sericeous; flower-heads 3-5 mm diam. Flowers pentamerous, 2.5-2.8 mm; lower hypanthium 0.7-1.5 × 1.4-1.7 mm in bisexual flowers, densely appressed-pubescent; upper hypanthium 0.8-1.2 × 1.2-1.3 mm, cupuliform, appressed-pubescent; calyx lobes 0.3-0.5 mm, erect to incurved; disk pilose; stamens (5-) 10, exserted up to 2 mm in male flowers, otherwise variously shorter or aborted; style 0.5-1.7 mm, often bent or with S-shaped kink, slightly exserted, glabrous. Fruits 3.7-4 × 4-4.2mm, packed densely into globose to ellipsoid heads 5-15 × 7-13 mm with only distal abaxial part of fruit exposed, flattened and more or less 2-winged, broadly obovate to orbicular in adaxial view, curved or cupped into adaxial side, bearing old upper hypanthium until at least maturity, puberulous on convex face, glabrous on concave face; wings ca. 0.5-1.5 mm wide. Reproductive biology. Flowers white, white with red (probably anthers) center, cream-colored, coffee-colored, yellow, green; scented ("very sweetly"; "slightly unpleasant"). Flowering and fruiting throughout most of year. Sex expression appears to be variable, but Tomlinson (1986) considered it dioecious. Tomlinson said that the fruits float on water and are thus dispersed, but that germination is not as abundant as it is in Laguncularia. Guppy (1917) found that the aerenchyma in the fruit wall enabled the fruits to float on sea-water for at least two months.
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Discussion
Uses. Firewood; larger stems used for posts and boat-making, the dark heartwood said to be long-lasting; when used as stakes some continue growing. Bark rich in tannins; toasted and powdered forms used as anti-ulcerogenic; “medicinal” in Bahia.
Illustrations. See under formae.Although Conocarpus is an easily recognized plant it is quite commonly misidentified as some other mangrove genus. The distinctive racemes or panicles of globose inflorescences are diagnostic; Rhizophora, Avicennia, and Laguncularia have opposite leaves. Plants given the epithets procumbens, supinus, acutifolius, pubescens, and arboreus do not merit taxonomic recognition. Distribution and Ecology: (Figs. 132, 133, 136). Often considered a mangrove, but Tomlinson (1986) treated it as a mangrove-associate because of its lack of pneumatophores and vivipary, and classified it as a “back-mangal constituent.” It occurs at the landward fringe of mangrove swamps, but is sometimes codominant with Laguncularia and Rhizophora, usually within reach of the highest tides. It is also found on sandy shores, exposed coral limestone, salt-marshes, dry or inundated savanna, and primary or secondary woodland, showing somewhat weedy tendencies and being tolerant of saline and fresh water and dry soils. It is usually at near sea-level, but commonly to 20 m and exceptionally to 500 m in Colombia (fide R. Bernal) and 744 m in Costa Rica. Atlantic and Pacific coasts of tropical America from Baja California Norte (ca. 29° N, Bahía de Los Angeles, fide Wiggins, 1980), Florida (ca. 29°06' N, fide Laessle & Wharton, 1959), Bahamas (ca. 21° N) and Bermuda (32°20' N, the furthest extra-tropical locality of any member of the family) throughout the West Indies to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (ca. 23° S) and extreme northern Peru (ca. 3°30' S), including Galápagos. In West Africa C. erectus occurs from Senegal (ca. 15° N) to Angola (ca. 7° S) (Fig. 132), represented only by forma erectus. -
Common Names
botoncillo, mangue de bola, algodão de seda, buttonwood, button mangrove, back tree, buttonbush, mangle botón, mangle geli, palétuvier, paltivyé, manglier gris, olivier bord de mer, West Indian alder, chêne guadeloupe, sea mulberry
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Distribution
Bahia Brazil South America| Costa Rica South America| Baja California Mexico North America| Florida United States of America North America| Bermuda South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| Peru South America| Galápagos Islands Ecuador South America| Ecuador South America|