Eschweilera squamata S.A.Mori

  • 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 squamata S.A.Mori

  • Type

    Type. French Guiana. Saul, Antenne Nord de la Fumée, 30 Nov 1982 (fl), Mori & Boom 15288 (holotype, NY; isotypes, CAY, INPA, K, MG, P, U, US, VEN).

  • Description

    Description - Canopy to emergent trees, to 40 m, with steep, high buttresses, to 2.5 m high x 0.7 m wide x 0.2 m thick. Bark with distinct vertical fissures, peeling in long, thin, rectangular plates 10-15 cm long x 2 cm wide, the outer bark 5 mm thick, the inner bark 10 mm thick, the slash grayish-yellow. Leaf blades elliptic, 16-23 x 7-11 cm, glabrous, without punctae, coriaceous, with 13-14 pairs of lateral veins; apex abruptly acuminate; base obtuse; margins entire; leaves high in crown, especially those subtending inflorescences, smaller, 7-12 x 4.5-6.5 cm, with 7-10 pairs of lateral veins; petiole 10-15 mm long. Inflorescences terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, unbranched or once-branched, glabrous, the principle rachis 2-12 cm long, the flowers sessile. Flowers ca. 1.5 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes very widely ovate, 1-1.3 x 22.7 mm, horizontally oriented, non-imbricate, convex abaxially, flat adaxially, the apex rounded; petals six, widely obovate, 6-10 x 6-8 mm, white; hood of androecium 8 x 10 mm, with slightly developed double coil, yellow, the appendages darker, golden yellow; staminal ring nearly symmetrical, only slightly wider on ligular side, with ca. 92 stamens, the filaments clavate, 0.8 mm long, white, the anthers 0.3 mm long, yellow; hypanthium truncate at base, glabrous; ovary 2-locular, with several ovules per locule attached to basal placenta, the summit umbonate, 1.5 mm high, the style not differentiated. Fruits depressed globose, 4-6.5 x 5-11 cm (excluding operculum), the calycine ring inserted near middle, the Calyx-lobes often persistent as woody knobs, the pericarp ca. 5 mm thick; operculum convex, smooth, maroon-colored, without distinctive umbo. Seeds 3-4 x 3-4 cm, the aril branched, covering lower part of major seed veins.

  • Discussion

    The bark of Eschweilera squamata distinguishes this from all other species of the genus for which bark is known. The deep vertical fissures and rectangular scales which are shed from the tree give rise to the specific epithet. The small flowers and relatively large, depressed globose fruits containing seeds with a split aril, which covers the major veins toward their base, also help to define this species.

    Leaf variation within the crown is considerable. As in most large trees, the leaves lower in the canopy are larger, possess more pairs of lateral veins, and have longer apices.

  • Distribution

    Eschweilera squamata is a canopy to emergent tree of non-flooded forests known only from French Guiana. It flowers in the dry season from Aug to Dec and seeds drop in Mar and Apr.

    French Guiana South America|