Eschweilera subglandulosa (Steud. ex O.Berg) Miers

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera subglandulosa (Steud. ex O.Berg) Miers

  • Primary Citation

    Trans. Linn. Soc. London 30: 266. 1874

  • Basionym

    Lecythis subglandulosa Steud. ex O.Berg

  • Description

    Author: Scott A. Mori and Ghillean T. Prance

    Type: Surinam. Without locality, Mar 1849 (fl), Hostmann 186 (lectotype, P, photo NY, designated Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(II): 1990; isolectotypes, BM, CGE, F, G, n.v., photos G at A & NY, K, LE, NY, U).

    Description: Canopy trees, to 35 m tall, frequently buttressed. Bark light gray to dark brown, peeling in large, thin, irregular plates which leave distinctive scallops, with numerous lenticels. Leaves not known to flush just before anthesis; petioles10-15(-20) mm long; blades elliptic to narrowly ovate, 12-30 x 6-11 cm, glabrous, coriaceous, smooth and shiny adaxially, the base obtuse to rounded, the margins entire to crenulate, the apex acuminate; secondary veins in 10-16 pairs. Inflorescences usually terminal, once-branched paniculate arrangement of racemes, less frequently simple racemes in axils of uppermost leaves; rachises glabrous to puberulous, the principal rachis 3-18 cm long, angled, with conspicuous bract scars, especially at base of lateral branches; pedicels 5-15 mm long. Flowers 2.5-3.5 cm diam.; calyx with 6 lobes, the lobes very widely to widely ovate, 4-8 x 3-6 mm, imbricate ¼-½ Iength, convex to carinate abaxially, slightly gibbous at base, flat to concave adaxially; petals 6, widely to very widely obovate, white or light yellow, 13-26 x 9-16 mm; androecium with staminal ring with 150-275 stamens, the filaments filiform to slightly clavate, 0.8-1 mm long, the anthers 0.3-0.5 mm long, the hood ca. 12-13 x 15-16 mm, with double coil, light yellow; ovary 2-locular, each locule with 4-8 basally attached ovules, the summit umbonate, the style not well differentiated. Fruits turbinate, often with prolonged woody knob at base, the calycine rim inserted near middle, 2-3.5 x 3-5.5 cm, the pericarp 5-10 mm thick, rough, light brown, the operculum convex, not umbonate. Seeds unknown.

    Common names: Guyana: kakaralli. Surinam: barklak, man-barklak, oeman barkrakkie. Trinidad: guatecale. Venezuela: cacao, cascarare, coco de mono, hônôkoli (for the fruit, Guaicas Indians), guayare hôkôtomali (for the tree, Guaicas Indians), majagüillo, ollita, oripopo, tabari, tampipio, tapa de tabaca.

    Distribution: Eschweilera subglandulosa occurs from eastern Venezuela (including Trinidad) to Surinam near the French Guiana border and from the northern coast of South America south to the Amazon River.

    Ecology: This species is a canopy tree most frequent in wet forests of flood plains but also found in semi-deciduous forests and in non-flooded areas.

    Phenology: Eschweilera subglandulosa in in peak flower from Jul to Dec and in peak fruit from Nov to Apr.

    Pollination: No observations recorded bu most likely pollinated by bees.

    Dispersal: No observations recorded.

    Predation: No observations recorded.

    Field characters: Eschweilera subglandulosa is characterized its usually buttressed trunk; scalloped bark; shiny adaxial leaf blade surface; and fruits with a light brown, rough exocarp.

    Taxonomic notes: The relationships of this species have not yet been established.

    Conservation: IUCN Red List: Not on list (Feb, 2014).

    Uses: The timber is used for fence posts because it splits easily and because it resists rot, and the fibrous inner bark is used by natives for cordage.

    Etymology: The meaning of the specific epithet is not known.

    Source: This species page is based on Mori & Prance, 1990.

    Acknowledgements: We are grateful to G. Marjanom and C. Bhikhi for allowing us to use their image to illustrate the characters of this species.

  • Floras and Monographs

    Eschweilera subglandulosa (Steud. ex O.Berg) Miers: [Article] 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.