Montanoa guatemalensis B.L.Rob. & Greenm.

  • Authority

    Funk, Victoria A. 1982. The systematics of Montanoa (Asteraceae, Heliantheae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 36: 1-133.

  • Family

    Asteraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Montanoa guatemalensis B.L.Rob. & Greenm.

  • Description

    Species Description - Trees 4-15 m tall. Stems terete, brown, herbaceous parts densely pubescent with the hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long. Leaves variable; petioles 1.0-14.5 cm long, occasionally with auricles at distal end, densely puberulent; blades ovate to pentagonal (Fig. 35A-I), 5-19 cm long, 3-18 cm wide, apex acuminate, margin entire to irregularly serrate-dentate, unlobed to 3-lobed, adaxial surface of younger leaves moderately pubescent, hairs pustular, older leaves often glabrous, abaxial surface densely glandular and pubescent, hairs whitish, giving the surface a light color, 0.5-1.0 mm long. Peduncles 1.5-2.5 mm long, densely hispid, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long. Heads erect, 1.0-1.5 cm diam in flower, 2.0 cm diam in fruit, several to many in dense cymose synflorescences in oppositely and alternately branched compound corymbs. Phyllaries extremely variable (Fig. 4), 5-9, biseriate, subequal, reflexed in flower, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 3-8 mm long, 2-4 mm wide, green, apex usually rounded but occasionally acute to acuminate and mucronate, margin ciliate, entire, dark, abaxial surface densely pubescent, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long, adaxial surface glabrous. Ray florets 6-10; corollas white, ligules obovate, 20-26 mm long, 6-9 mm wide, apex acute to 2-notched, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface sparsely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long, tube 1.0-1.5 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, essentially glabrous. Disc florets (Fig. 35J) 70-100; corollas yellow, tube 0.75-1.5 mm long, 0.5-0.75 mm diam, densely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long, throat cylindrical, 2.0-2.25 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm diam, sparsely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long, lobes 5, 0.75-1.00 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, apex acute, densely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long; stamens with filaments 2.0-2.75 mm long, 0.2 mm wide, anthers not fully exserted from corolla, thecae brown, 1.5-1.75 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, apical appendages yellow, acuminate, 0.5 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, glabrous; styles yellow, 4.5-5.25 mm long, enlarged at base, stigmatic surfaces yellow, 1.0-1.25 mm long, apical appendages yellow, long-acuminate, 0.5 mm long, 0.4 mm wide. Pales at anthesis ovate (Fig. 35K), 4.5-5.5 mm long, 2.0-2.5 mm wide, light yellow with dark bands on distal half and midrib, apex very long acuminate, dark, margin ciliate, entire, abaxial surface densely glandular and pubescent especially near the center, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long, adaxial surface glabrous; pales at fruiting persistent, ovate to triangular (Fig. 35L), 9-11 mm long, 2.5-3.0 mm wide, indurate with prominent parallel veins, stramineous, apex narrowly tapering to a recurved, indurate tip, margin sparsely ciliate, entire, abaxial surface moderately glandular near the center and sparsely pubescent, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long, adaxial surface glabrous; achenes brown-black, 3.5-4.0 mm long, 2.0 mm wide, smooth. Chromosome number, n = ca. 114. Flowering (and Fruiting) Period: January-February (February-March).

  • Discussion

    Type: GUATEMALA, Santa Rosa, Volcán Junaytepeque, 1800 m, Dec 1892, E. T. Heyde & E. Lux 4216 (holotype, NY!; isotypes, F! G! M! MO! NDG!). Truly a “Daisy Tree” of the most spectacular nature. Distinguished not only by its habit but also by its leaves which vary from ovate to pentagonal and unlobed to 3-lobed with an essentially unwinged petiole (Fig. 35A-I) and have a white abaxial surface. The mature pales are typical of this series (Fig. 35L), but the involucral bracts are distinct in having a rounded apex (although they vary in size and number; Fig. 4). Montanoa guatemalensis is most closely related to M. mollis sima which is easily distinguished, being a shrub of Puebla and Oaxaca with completely winged petioles and apically acute involucral bracts. Herbarium identifications of this taxon have been confused by the misapplication of two names. Montanoa guatemalensis has been frequently but incorrectly identified as M. dumicola. Examination of the type of the latter showed that it was synonymous with M. atriplicifolia. Further, the name M. guatemalensis has usually been misapplied to the species recognized in this treatment as M. hexagona, both being trees. These species, however, are easily distinguished in the fruiting condition (in flowering condition they are more difficult to separate, as was the case with the type material).

  • Distribution

    Distribution and Habitat: Primarily in Costa Rica but scattered collections from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (Fig. 34); mountain slopes just below cloud forests; 1200-2000 m, cultivated at lower elevations near San José and Cartago but does poorly (pers. obser.).

    Costa Rica South America| El Salvador Central America| Guatemala Central America| Honduras Central America| Nicaragua Central America|