Gustavia nana subsp. rhodantha (Standl.) S.A.Mori

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. & Mori, S. A. 1979. Lecythidaceae - Part I. The actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae (Asteranthos, Gustavia, Grias, Allantoma & Cariniana). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-270. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Gustavia nana subsp. rhodantha (Standl.) S.A.Mori

  • Type

    Type. Cooper 633 (holotype, F 579238; isotype, NY). Panama. San Blas: 3-10 Apr 1928 (fl).

  • Synonyms

    Gustavia nana subsp. rhodantha (Standl.) S.A.Mori

  • Description

    Description - Small trees, to 10 m x 10(-25) cm; leaf-bearing branches 4-10 mm in diameter, the leaves tightly grouped at their ends. Leaf blades narrowly ovate or lanceolate, (ll-)18-27(-43) x (4-)5-13(-15) cm, glabrous, chartaceous, with 1018 pairs of lateral veins; apices acuminate; bases acute; margins serrulate. Petioles (20-)60-150(-250) x 1.5-3 mm, subterete in cross section. Inflorescences cauline, contracted, racemose, puberulous or occasionally rusty-tomentose, with 3-7 flowers, the rachis 8-50 mm; pedicels 15-40 mm, subtended by a single caducous bract and bearing near the middle 2 ovate bracteoles usually fused at their bases, 2-6 x 3-8 mm wide. Flowers 13-18 cm in diameter; calyx with 4 broadly triangular lobes, 2-5 x 8-13 mm; petals 8, narrowly obovate or oblanceolate, 60-85 x 30-42 mm, usually pinkish; connate androecial base (11-) 17-20 mm high, the outermost filaments 13-20 mm; anthers 2.5-3.5 mm; ovary smooth, glabrous to puberulous, 4(-5)-locular, usually with glabrous spots but sometimes tomentulose at the summit; style conical, 2-4 mm; stigma with 4 lobes. Fruits globose, truncate at the apex, the opercular region nearly as great in diameter as the fruit diameter, 30-50 x 40-50 mm, without persistent calyx lobes, first green then yellow-orange. Seeds angular in cross section, 1722 x 15-17 mm, without a distinctive funicle.

  • Discussion

    Ecology. This subspecies is found as scattered individuals in tropical moist and tropical wet forests. It flowers from February through May (middle dry through early wet season) and bears fruit from June through August (middle wet season).

    Standley (1929) recognized G. rhodantha as separate from G. nana because of its smaller leaves and fewer lateral veins. However, Woodson (1958) did not accept G. rhodantha as a distinct entity, merging it with G. nana. Although G. nana subsp nana is represented by only 3 collections their differences in leaf shape and habitat support their recognition at least at the subspecific level. A final solution to the problem awaits better collections of G. nana subsp nana.

  • Common Names

    Achucalo, Membrillo, Paco

  • Distribution

    This subspecies ranges from eastern Panama into the Chocó and the Magdalena Valley of Colombia.

    Panama Central America| San Blás Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Córdoba Colombia South America| Boyacá Colombia South America|