Eschweilera perumbonata Pittier

  • Authority

    Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera perumbonata Pittier

  • Type

    Type. Venezuela. Aragua: Rancho Grande, 12001500 m, 24 Apr 1937 (fl, fr), Pittier 13992 (holotype, VEN; isotypes, F, NY).

  • Description

    Description - Trees, to 25 m tall. Bark brown, with irregular depressions and raised clusters of lenticels. Leaf blades elliptic, 8-17 x 3.5-8 cm, glabrous with black punctae abaxially, with 10-13 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; base obtuse; margins entire; petiole 5-11 mm long. Inflorescences racemose, unbranched, axillary, the rachis poorly developed, to 4 cm long, the pedicels glabrous, 5-10 mm long, green. Flowers 3-4 cm diam.; calyx with four lobes, the lobes very widely ovate, 5-7 x 5-8 mm, spreading, scarcely imbricate in bud, separated by 0.2-0.3 mm at anthesis, convex abaxially, concave adaxially; petals four, white or yellow; hood of androecium 20 x 22 mm, forming double coil, pale yellow outside, darker yellow inside, may also be white; staminal ring with 100-200 stamens, the filaments clavate, 1-1.7 mm long, white, the anthers 0.5 mm long, yellow; hypanthium cuneate, glabrous; ovary 2-locular, the style curved toward anterior end of flower, ca. 3 mm long. Fruit globose to turbinate, 4.5 x 4-4.5 cm, the pericarp 2-3 mm thick, the operculum distinctly umbonate. Seeds 1-4 per fruit, 2.5 cm long, with lateral aril, the pedicel forming woody knob at base.

  • Discussion

    No other species of Eschweilera have four sepals and petals. Although E. tetrapetala, E. compressa, and E. alvimii possess four petals, they have five or six sepals and their androecial structure is different. In addition, those species are southern Brazilian.

    The ovary of this species is clearly 2-locular and not 4-locular as stated by Pittier (1937).

    We have not examined mature fruits. Consequently, the fruit and seed descriptions follow those of Pittier (1937).

  • Distribution

    Known from numerous collections from few localities in the coastal cordillera of Venezuela. Eschweilera perumbonata is a canopy tree of non-flooded habitats in cloud forests at 1000-1500 m, where it may be scattered but locally common. Flowers have been collected from Oct to Apr and May but peak flowering appears to occur from Oct to Jan. Fruits in various stages of maturity have been collected in Feb, Apr and Jul.

    Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Miranda Venezuela South America| Yaracuy Venezuela South America|