Eschweilera pseudodecolorans S.A.Mori

  • Authority

    Mori, S. A. & Lepsch da Cunha, Nadia M. 1995. The Lecythidaceae of a central Amazonian moist forest. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 75: 1-55.

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera pseudodecolorans S.A.Mori

  • Description

    Species Description - Canopy trees, to 30 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark scalloped, the outer bark ca. 1 mm thick, the inner bark 5-7 mm thick, distinctly yellow-orange. Leaves: petioles 8-10 mm long; blades elliptic to narrowly oblong, 9-13.5 x 4.5-6 cm, chartaceous, glabrous, with 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; base obtuse to rounded; apex short to long acuminate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, simple racemes, the rachis gray pubescent, 1-8 cm long; pedicels pubescent, 6-7 mm long. Flowers 3-3.5 cm diam.; calyx-lobes markedly imbricate, widely to very widely ovate, 4-5 x 3-7 mm; petals 15 x 10 mm, widely obovate, white; androecial hood 15 x 10 mm, light yellow; staminal ring with ca. 80 stamens, extending up ligule, the filaments ca. 1 mm long, the anthers ca. 0.6 mm long, golden yellow; ovary 4-locular, with 2 ovules attached to base of septum in each locule, the style not well differentiated from summit of ovary, ca. 2 mm long. Fruits globose, 2.5-3.5 (including operculum) x 3-4 cm, the calycine ring inserted below middle, with vestigial calyx-lobes, truncate to pedicel directly below calycine ring, the pericarp light brown, rough, 3-5 mm thick; operculum convex, with umbo. Seeds round in cross section, 2-2.3 x 2 cm, the testa smooth, light brown, with white, plane veins, the aril sunken into shallow, lateral groove.

  • Discussion

    Phenology. Flowers from Aug to Sep and matures fruit in Nov and Dec. Seedlings have been gathered in March. Common name. Matamatá. Comments. This species is characterized by its (1) scalloped outer bark, (2) yellow-orange inner bark, (3) chartaceous leaves, (4) markedly imbricate calyx-lobes, (5) 4-locular ovaries, (6) fruits very truncate at the base.

  • Distribution

    Habitat. Terra firme. The 100-ha plot contains 118 individuals of this species =10 cm dbh.

    Brazil South America|