Gustavia poeppigiana O.Berg

  • 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 poeppigiana O.Berg

  • Type

    Type. Poeppig 2658 (F, W). Brazil. Amazonas: Ega ( = Tefé) Oct 1831 (fl).

  • Synonyms

    Gustavia augusta L., Gustavia poeppigiana var. opaca O.Berg, Gustavia poeppigiana var. nitens O.Berg, Gustavia conferta (Spruce ex O.Berg) Miers, Japarandiba poeppigiana (O.Berg) Kuntze, Gustavia ulei Pilg., Gustavia yaracuyensis Pittier, Gustavia caballoensis J.F.Macbr.

  • Description

    Description - Trees, to 15 m tall, leaf-bearing branches 3-7 mm in diameter, the leaves tightly grouped in one to several whorls at their ends. Bark fissured, brown. Leaf blades narrowly obovate or oblanceolate, 15.5-41 x 4.5-11.5 cm, glabrous, chartaceous, with (11-)13-18(-22) pairs of lateral veins; apices short to long acuminate; bases auriculate, rounded or truncate; margins serrate to serrulate on the upper 1/2, sometimes concave towards the base. Petioles 1-12 x 2-4 mm, semi-circular in cross section. Inflorescences in axils of leaves, reduced racemes of usually l(-3) flowers, glabrous or puberulous, the rachis very short, 1-7 mm, with persistent bracts at the base; pedicels 10-48 mm, subtended by a single ovate, oblong or lanceolate bract 2-5 x 2-4 mm and bearing at some point along the length 2 ovate or oblong bracteoles, 2-7 x 2-6 mm. Flowers 12-18 cm in diameter; calyx of 4 broadly triangular or rounded lobes, sometimes appearing as an undulate rim in older flowers, the lobes 1-5 x 6-11 mm; petals 8, widely obovate or oblanceolate, (20-)40-70(-80) x (10-)20-50 (-60) mm, rusty- or gray-pubescent in bud, puberulous at anthesis, mostly white with tinges of rose or pink outside; connate androecial base 14-20 mm in diameter, white outside, yellow inside, 10-15(-20) mm high, the outermost filaments (12-)16-22(-25) mm, all white or white at the base with pink, rose, or red at the apex; anthers 2-5 mm, yellow or cream; ovary without costae, glabrous to rusty-white-pubescent outside, 4-6(-10)-locular, the summit pubescent with glabrous spots to densely white-woolly throughout; style 1-3 mm; stigma with 4-6 lobes. Fruits depressed globose, 30-60 x 40-70 mm, with the calyx usually absent or sometimes persistent as an inconspicuous rim. Seeds rounded in cross section, 13-24 x 13-15 mm in diameter; with contorted, fleshy, yellow funicles 10-20 x 3-5 mm wide.

  • Discussion

    Ecology. An understory tree found near sea level to 800 meters. It is most common at lower elevations in well drained forest (terra firme) but occasionally comes from forests that are periodically inundated (varzea).

    This species is most closely related to G. augusta from which it differs by a somewhat auriculate instead of acute leaf base and an axillary inflorescence with a reduced rachis and usually one flower instead of a suprafoliar or cauline inflorescence with a developed rachis and more than one flower. In addition, the habitat preference of the two species is different; G. augusta prefers riverine habitats and is seldom found on terra firme, whereas G. poeppigiana prefers terra firme and is infrequently found in várzea.

  • Common Names

    Matamatá, Guatoso, Margo, Chopé, Geniparana

  • Distribution

    Widespread in western Amazonia, extending along the Amazon River east to near its mouth and with a disjunct population north of the Andes in coastal Venezuela.

    Colombia South America| Vichada Colombia South America| Meta Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Falcón Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Yaracuy Venezuela South America| Carabobo Venezuela South America| Sucre Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Barinas Venezuela South America| Apure Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Pando Bolivia South America|