Eschweilera albiflora (DC.) Miers

  • 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 albiflora (DC.) Miers

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Amazonas: Rio Negro, forest at Manaquer, no date (fl), Martius 2817 (lectotype, M, photo NY, here designated).

  • Synonyms

    Lecythis albiflora DC., Lecythis turbinata O.Berg, Chytroma turbinata (O.Berg) Miers, Eschweilera turbinata (O.Berg) Nied., Lecythis verruculosa O.Berg, Eschweilera verruculosa (O.Berg) Miers, Lecythis pachysepala Spruce ex O.Berg, Eschweilera pachysepala (Spruce ex O.Berg) Miers, Eschweilera inaequisepala Cuatrec.

  • Description

    Description - Trees, usually less than 15 m tall, infrequently to 30 m. Leaf blades usually elliptic, infrequently narrowly oblong, 10-20 x 3.5-7.5 cm, glabrous, with abaxial reddish-brown punctae, chartaceous, with 9-13 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate to long acuminate; base acute, obtuse, or rounded; margins entire; petiole 8-14 mm long. Inflorescences terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, unbranched or once-branched, the principal rachis 4-13 cm long, puberulous, the pedicel 2-3.5 cm long, puberulous. Flowers 3-4 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes narrowly ovate, 8-12 x 3.5-6 mm, thick, obliquely oriented, imbricate for less than ½ length, carinate, gibbous toward base abaxially, concave to cucullate adaxially; petals six, widely obovate, 15-30 x 11-20 mm, white or yellow; hood of androecium 16-17 x 15-18 mm, yellow, with well-developed double coil, the innermost coil vertically oriented; staminal ring asymmetrical, with 177-337 stamens, the filaments 1.5-2 mm long, scarcely to slightly dilated towards apex, the anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long; hypanthium attenuated into long pedicel; ovary 2-locular, with 6-8 ovules attached to basal placenta, umbonate, the style 3-5 mm long, not well-differentiated from summit. Fruits turbinate, attenuated at base into persistent, woody pedicel, 3.5-6 x 4.5-6.5 (excluding pedicel), the pedicel 1-4 cm long, the pericarp light brown, often lenticellate, 7-10 mm thick, the Calyx-lobes persisting as woody knobs near apex of fruit. Seeds 2-3 x 1.5 cm, with lateral aril.

  • Discussion

    The bark is used for making carrying straps and the wood is utilized as firewood and for making charcoal.

    Eschweilera albiflora is a common tree of riverine forests in central and western Amazonia. Its relatively slender, chartaceous leaves with long acuminate apices and punctate abaxial surfaces along with the extremely long pedicels and turbinate fruits distinguish it from other sympatric species of Eschweilera.

  • Common Names

    duke, manchimango, manchimango colorado

  • Distribution

    Eschweilera albiflora is a small to medium-sized tree of periodically flooded forests from central to western Amazonia. It flowers from Jim through Nov, and fruiting collections, in all stages of development, have been made throughout the year.

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