Erythroxylum macrophyllum Cav.

  • Family

    Erythroxylaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Erythroxylum macrophyllum Cav.

  • Primary Citation

    Diss. 401, t. 227. 1789

  • Description

    Author : Timothy Plowman (†) & Reinaldo Aguilar.

    Description: Shrubs or small trees, 2-10 m tall. Branchlets 2-4 mm diam., smooth becoming tan or ligh grayish-brown, with obliquely transverse scars of fallen stipules and cataphylls, without distinct lenticels; cataphylls produced at base of shoots, caducous, 10-60 mm long, similar to but sometimes larger than foliar stipules; foliar stipules 4-35 mm long, longitudinally striate-nerved, sometimes with 2-3 filamentous setae, caducous, leaving obliquely transverse scars on twigs, the apex acutely tapered. Leaves with petioles 3-10 mm long; blades oblong to elliptic-oblong, (5-)7-30 x (2-)3-15 cm, adaxially often drying rather shiny and leaden gray, abaxially drying dull and ferrugineous, usually without parallel lines or distinct central panel, the base obtuse or rounded, the apex short to long acuminate, the tip itself sharply acute, acuminate to acute. Inflorescences produced in axils of leaves or cataphylls on new shoots, often appearing "knobby" at nodes, the flowers usually numerous; bracteoles 2-5.5 mm long, persistent, 1-keeled, striate-nerved, 1-setulose, the apex acute; pedicels 3-10 mm long, 5-ribbed. Flowers bisexual; calyx 2.5-5 mm long, the lobes broadly ovate, obovate or oblong, often subfoliose, lightly striate-veined, the margins often overlapping or touching, the apex abruptly acuminate; staminal tube about half as long as calyx. Drupes 8-11 x 4-5 mm, the endocarp oblongoid or ovoid-oblongoid, terete at maturity, the apex obtuse or acutish (Plowman, 1991).

    Common names: None recorded.

    Distribution: Southern Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil from sea level to 1600 m (Plowman, 1991).

    Ecology: In evergreen moist to wet forests, seasonally dry forests, or cloud forests (Plowman, 1991).

    Phenology: This species has been observed with flowers from Jan to Sep and with fruits from Feb to Nov (Plowman, 1991).

    Pollination: The flowers are visited by bees, wasps and less frequently by flies (Da Silva et al., 2007).

    Dispersal: No observations recorded but the fruits are pressumably dispersed by birds.

    Taxonomic notes: Erythroxylum macrophyllum is recognized by the relatively large (4-30 mm long), apically acute, striate-nerved, caducous stipules that leave obliquely transverse scars on the stem; rather thick, apically acuminate leaves; persistent, striate-nerved bracteoles; and broadly ovate, abruptly acuminate calyx-lobes. Erythroxylum macrophyllum is a highly polymorphic, complex, and wide-ranging species that occurs from southern Mexico to Bolivia. Many names have been proposed to accommodate the numerous minor and major variants in both Central and South America. In Central America, subspecific taxa are difficult to characterize with any degree of constancy. However, in Costa Rica two general forms occur, that correspond to E. costaricense J. D. Smith (with leaves generally less than 14 cm long) and E. skutchii Standley (with leaves more than 15 cm long). The former, small-leaved form is far more widespread and occurs from sea level to 1600 m elevation in most of Costa Rica (Plowman, 1991).

    Conservation: Not recorded.

    Uses: None recorded.

    Etymology: The epithet refers to the large leaves.

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