Eschweilera pseudodecolorans S.A.Mori

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera pseudodecolorans S.A.Mori

  • Primary Citation

    Brittonia 44: 244. 1992

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Isotype -- S. A. Mori 20701

  • Description

    Author: Scott A. Mori & Nathan P. Smith

    Type: Brazil. Amazonas: Distrito Agropecuitrio, Reserva 1501 (Km 41) of the WWF/INPA MCS Project, 6 Aug. 1989 (fl), S. Mori & N. Lepsch da Cunha 20701 (hologype, INPA; isotypes, F, K, MO, NY, US).

    Description: Canopy trees, to 30 m tall, unbuttressed. Bark scalloped, the outer bark ca. 1 mm thick, the inner bark 5-7 mm thick, distinctly yellow-orange. Leaves: petioles 8-10 mm long; blades elliptic to narrowly oblong, 9-13.5 x 4.5-6 cm, chartaceous, glabrous, the base obtuse to rounded, the margins entire, the apex short to long acuminate, the secondary veins brochidodromous, in 9-12 pairs. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, simple racemes, the rachis gray pubescent, 1-8 cm long; pedicels pubescent, 6-7 mm long. Flowers when leaves present, 3-3.5 cm diam.; calyx-lobes 6, widely to very widely ovate, 4-5 x 3-7 mm, markedly imbricate; petals 6, widely obovate, 15 x 10 mm, white; androecium zygomorphic; staminal ring flat, with with ca. 80 stamens, extending up ligule, the filaments ca. 1 mm long, the anthers ca. 0.6 mm long, golden yellow, dehiscence lateral; ligule well-developed, differentiated into appendage-free ligular area and hood, the hood with double coil, 15 x 10 mm, light yellow; ovary 4-locular, with 2 ovules attached to base of septum in each locule, the style not well differentiated from summit of ovary, ca. 2 mm long. Fruits globose, 2.5-3.5 (including operculum) x 3-4 cm, the calycine ring inserted below middle, with vestigial calyx-lobes, truncate to pedicel directly below calycine ring, the pericarp light brown, rough, 3-5 mm thick; operculum convex, with umbo. Seeds round in cross section, 2-2.3 x 2 cm, the testa smooth, light brown, with white, plane veins; aril sunken into shallow, lateral groove.

    Common names: Brazil: matarnata.

    Distribution: Central Amazonian Brazil.

    Ecology: Locally common in non-fooded moist forests.

    Phenology: Flowers from Aug to Nov. Mature fruits in Nov and Dec.

    Pollination: No reports of pollination have been recorded.

    Dispersal: No reports of dispersal have been recorded.

    Predation: No observations recorded.

    Field characters: This species is characterized by its (I) scalloped outer bark, (2) yellow-orange inner bark, (3) chartaceous leaves. (4) markedly imbricate calyx-lobes, (5) 4-1ocular ovaries, (6) fruits very truncate at the base.

    Taxonomic notes:

    Uses: No observations recorded.

    Etymology:

    Conservation: IUCN Red List: not on list (IUCN, 2012).

    Source: This species page is based on Mori & Lepsch-Cunha, 1995.

    Acknowledgements: We are grateful to B. Angell for allowing us to use her illustration.

  • Floras and Monographs

    Eschweilera pseudodecolorans S.A.Mori: [Article] Mori, S. A. & Lepsch da Cunha, Nadia M. 1995. The Lecythidaceae of a central Amazonian moist forest. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 75: 1-55.