Swartzia sprucei Benth.

  • Authority

    Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Swartzia sprucei Benth.

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree 3-30 m tall, the trunk up to 25 cm diameter, the branchlets more or less costate, pilosulose-velutinous or densely strigulose; stipules caducous, ca 1-1.5 cm long and wide, oval to suborbicular, densely strigulose externally, glabrous within; petioles 2.5-5 cm long, pilosulose-velutinous, sometimes stipellate apically, the stipels ca 4 mm long, the rachis 8.5-24 cm long, terete, or marginate with the ridges terminating at each leaflet pair in stipels to 4 mm long, the rachis pilosulose-velutinous or strigulose, sometimes glabrescent, at least on the upper surface; leaflets (3-)5- or 6-jugate, the petiolules pilosulose, the blades of the lowermost pair of leaflets smaller, 4.5-11 cm long, 2.5-6 cm wide, those of the remaining jugae 6.5-18.5 cm long, 3.5-8 cm wide, the blades of all the leaflets oval to elliptic to narrowly elliptic to oblong-elliptic, the bases rounded and obtuse, sometimes cordate to subcordate, the apex abruptly acute to acuminate, glabrous and nitid on the upper surface, beneath dull, glabrous and glaucous, excepting the strigose costa, or persistently minutely strigulose beneath, the venation plane and inconspicuous on the upper surface, salient beneath, the venules obscure or micro-reticulate; inflorescence racemose, axillary in the axils of the uppermost leaves, 6-18(-20) cm long, the axis strigulose or pilosulose-velutinous, the bracts deciduous to persistent, 4-13 mm long, 2-6 mm wide, elliptic, obtuse, densely strigulose and strigose externally, glabrous within excepting a narrow strigulose marginal zone, the bracteoles lacking; pedicels (9-) 12-24 mm long, pilosulose-velutinous or strigulose; buds globose and slightly apiculate, 7-10 mm diameter, strigose and strigulose externally, glabrous within; petal yellow, densely villose-sericeous on the outer surface and on the basal half within, or the inner surface glabrous, the claw 1.5-4.5 mm long, the blade broadly oblate, subcordate, 15-35 mm long, 20-44 mm wide; larger stamens 4-6, the filaments 20-25 mm long, sparingly villose or glabrous, the anthers narrowly oblong, 2.5-3 mm long, 1 mm wide, glabrous, the smaller stamens with glabrous filaments 10-18 mm long; gynoecium glabrous, the stigma capitellate to capitate, the style 6.5-10 mm long, glabrous, the ovary narrowly oblong, (5-) 10-14 mm long, 1-2.5 mm wide, glabrous, the gynophore 9-14 mm long, glabrous except pilosulose at the extreme base; fruit not seen.

  • Distribution

    (Fig. 4). Southern Venezuela and Guyana, at low elevations.

    Guyana South America| Venezuela South America|