Eschweilera apiculata (Miers) 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 apiculata (Miers) A.C.Sm.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Pará: Nr. Belém, 6 Sep 1829 (fl), Burchell 9618 (lectotype, K, photo NY, here designated; isolectotypes, BM fragment, K, NY-2 sheets, P).

  • Synonyms

    Chytroma apiculata Miers

  • Description

    Description - Canopy trees, to 40 m x 60 cm, the bole cylindric, unbuttressed, sometimes with slight fluting at base. Bark peeling in irregular plates, dip-pled; outer bark thin, ca. 1 mm; inner bark ca. 6 mm thick, bright pink when first cut, oxidizing to red. Leaf blades Usually elliptic, sometimes narrowly obovate, 6.5-13.5 x 3-6.5 cm, completely glabrous to puberulous on lower abaxial midrib only, without punctae, chartaceous, with 6-12 pairs of lateral veins; apex acuminate; base acute, obtuse or rounded; margins entire; petiole 5-12 mm long, slightly decurrent, sometimes puberulous, especially when young. Inflorescences racemose, terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, unbranched or once-branched, the principal rachis 3-10 cm long, pubescent, the pedicel 3-10 mm long, pubescent. Flowers 2-2.5 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes widely ovate, 2-3.5 x 2-2.5 mm, ascending, not or only slightly imbricate; petals six, widely obovate, 916 x 7-10 mm, white (sometimes yellow?); hood of androecium ca. 10 x 10 mm, with distinct double coil, light yellow inside and out; staminal ring asymmetric, with 60-150 stamens, the filaments 0.8-1.1 mm long, tapered at apex, white, the anthers ca. 0.4-0.5 mm long, gold; hypanthium abruptly constricted into well-defined pedicel, pubescent; ovary 2-locular, the style to 2 mm long. Fruits small, turbinate, the base 35 x 3-5 cm (including the persistent, woody pedicel), the calycine ring inserted near apex, the pericarp ca. 5 mm thick.

  • Discussion

    Although the type, Burchell 9618, gives no indication of the collecting locality, it most certainly was gathered in the vicinity of Belem (Smith & Smith, 1967).

    Eschweilera apiculata is distinguished by its small flowers subtended by a well-defined, pubescent pedicel and small, turbinate fruits. Its androecial hood forms a well-defined double coil with its innermost appendages well differentiated and lighter in color than the rest of the hood. In the field, its dippled bark and deep pink or red slash aid in its identification.

    In most individuals, the petals are white and the androecial hood is yellow. However, some labels of collections from Central Amazonia state that the flowers are yellow, thereby indicating that the petals of some individuals from there may be yellow. The fruits of the central Amazonian population may be larger than those of the French Guianan and eastern Amazonian populations. Further study may show that the central Amazonian population merits taxonomic recognition.

  • Common Names

    Matamatá, Ripeiro, ripeiro amarelo

  • Distribution

    Eschweilera apiculata is a canopy tree of non-flooded forests of French Guiana and central and eastern Amazonian Brazil. It flowers from Apr to Dec.

    French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|