Eschweilera alata A.C.Sm.

  • 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 alata A.C.Sm.

  • Type

    Type. Guyana. Demerara River, Kumuparu Creek, 11 Nov 1937 (fl, empty fr), Davis D541 {Forest Dept. British Guiana 2564) (holotypes, NY; isotypes, K 2 sheets and fruits, photo fruit NY).

  • Description

    Description - Trees, 20-30 m x 15-70 cm. Bark thin, smooth, the slash pink. Leaf-bearing twigs 3-4 mm thick below lowermost leaf, narrowly but distinctly winged. Leaf blades elliptic, oblong or narrowly ovate, 15-27 x 5-10 cm, glabrous, without abaxial punctations, chartaceous, with 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; base obtuse to rounded; margins entire to crenulate; petiole 7-12 mm long. Inflorescences racemose, unbranched, terminal or axillary, the rachis 3-15 cm long, somewhat zigzagged; pedicel 3-20 mm long. Flowers ca. 4-5 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes very widely ovate, 4-6 x 47 mm, imbricate ca. ½ length, green or green flushed with red or purple; petals six, obovate, 20-25 x 15-25 mm, white, sometimes flushed with rose, red, or purple on outside; hood of androecium with double coil, yellowish-orange; staminal ring filaments 1.3-2.5 mm long, clavate, cream-colored, the anthers ca. 0.7 mm long, yellowish-orange; ovary 2-locular. Fruits ca. 23 x 3-5 cm, the supracalycine zone erect, the calycine ring inserted below middle, the infracalycine zone truncate, the pedicel persisting as woody knob.

  • Discussion

    Eschweilera alata differs from all other species of Lecythidaceae by its narrowly but distinctly winged twigs. The stems of seedlings are also markedly winged. The fruits are very much like those of E. coriacea. The smooth bark, which resembles that of the guava (Psidium guajava Linn.), aids in the field identification of this species.

  • Common Names

    guava-skin kakaralli

  • Distribution

    Eschweilera alata is known only from Guyana and western Venezuela from 50 to 600 m alt. In Guyana, it is commonly found in non-flooded forest dominated by Mora gonggrijpii. It flowers in Oct and Nov.

    Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Guyana South America|