Couepia polyandra (Kunth) Rose

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9: 1-410. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Couepia polyandra (Kunth) Rose

  • Type

    Type. Humboldt & Bonpland sn, Mexico, fl (P).

  • Synonyms

    Hirtella polyandra Kunth, Hirtella dodecandra Moc. & Sessé ex DC., Moquilea kunthiana Zucc., Couepia kunthiana Benth., Grymania polyandra (Kunth) C.Presl, Couepia floccosa Fritsch, Couepia dodecandra (Moc. & Sessé ex DC.) Hemsl.

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 15.0 m tall. Leaves oblong to oblong-elliptic, 6.0-13.0 cm long (on flowering branches, longer on sterile and fruiting branches), 2.5-5.5 cm broad, rounded to cuneate at base, acuminate at apex, with acumen 2.0-10.0 mm long, glabrous above when mature, with a caducous pubescence when young, densely arachnoid beneath; midrib prominent above, pubescent when young; primary veins 8-15 pairs, prominent on both surfaces; petioles 4.0-7.0 mm long, with two inconspicuous medial glands, terete. Stipules 2.0-4.0 mm long, linear, membraneous, caducous. Inflorescences terminal and axillary panicles, the rachis and branches with short light-brown pubescence. Bracts and bracteoles 1.0-3.5 mm long, ovate, caducous. Receptacle subcylindrical, ca 4.0 mm long, with short appressed pubescence on exterior, glabrous within except for deflexed hairs at throat; calyx lobes rounded. Petals 5, white, glabrous but with ciliate margins. Stamens 11-21, inserted in an arc of 180-240°, with a few staminodes opposite them. Ovary villous. Style pubescent for half its length. Fruit ellipsoid to obovoid, 5.0-7.0 cm long, 3.0-4.5 cm broad when mature; epicarp smooth, glabrous; mesocarp thick and fleshy; endocarp thin, fragile, of a fibrous texture, glabrous within.

  • Discussion

    The species cited in synonymy were all placed under C. polyandra by Standley and Steyermark in their Flora of Guatemala (Fieldiana Bot. 24(4): 443. 1946), and there is certainly only this single species of Couepia in Central America. The various synonyms were delimited by number of stamens, but an unbroken range from 11 to 21 was noted in the material examined. This species is most closely related to the Colombian species of C. trapezioana.

    Hirtella dodecandra, one of the synonyms of C. polyandra, is an example of the species described by A. P. De Candolle from the Mocino & Sesse drawings. Since the original drawings, which should be the types, are missing, for the present the tracings published by A.L.P.P. De Candolle in his Caiques are regarded as the types. The Mocino and Sesse herbarium material which was not seen by De Candolle, is not type material, but is useful in the interpretation of the inadequate type tracings. In the case of Hirtella dodecandra the drawing is in fact sufficient to place the species, because there are so few species of Chrysobalanaceae growing in Mexico. Further details about the Mocino and Sesse drawings are given in Prance (1968).

  • Common Names

    Palo del Fraile, Pio, Sapote de niño, Uspío, Zapotillo, Guayabito de tinta, Monkey cap, Baboon cap, Munzap, Zapotillo, Ulazapote, Zapotillo, Zapotillo amarillo, Zapote bolo, Olozapo, Zapotillo

  • Distribution

    Riverine forest and low woodland in Central America from Sinaloa, Mexico, to Costa Rica.

    Mexico North America| Sinaloa Mexico North America| Nayarit Mexico North America| Jalisco Mexico North America| Michoacán Mexico North America| Puebla Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Guerrero Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Tabasco Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Yucatán Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America|