Grias haughtii R.Knuth
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Family
Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)
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Scientific Name
Grias haughtii R.Knuth
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Primary Citation
Pflanzenr. (Engler) IV, 219a: 31. 1939
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Type Specimens
Specimen 1: Isolectotype -- O. L. Haught 1550
Specimen 2: Isolectotype -- O. L. Haught 1550
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Description
Author: Xavier Cornejo & Scott A. Mori
Type: Colombia. Santander: vicinity of Barrancabermeja, Magdalena Valley between Sogamoso and Colorado Rivers, 100-500 m alt., 28 Jan 1935 (fl), O. L. Haught 1550 (lectotype, US-1592082; isolectotypes, F-929658, F-929660, NY-839, N-840, US-1592084). Designated by Mori, Fl. Neotrop. 21: 206 (1979).
Description: Pachycaulous, unbranched or few-branched, understory trees, 4-10(20) m tall , the trunk cylindrical, not buttressed. Bark brown, smooth, the inner bark yellow (fide Alverson et al. 366). Stems glabrous. Leaves aggregated at ends of stems; petioles lacking to 195 x 9-25 mm, semicircular in cross section, glabrous; blades oblanceolate or spathulate, 73-167 x 14-42 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, with inconspicuous reddish papillae abaxially, the base tapering, the margins entire, obscurely revolute, the apices acuminate; venation brochidodromous, the secondary veins in 35-45 pairs, the tertiary veins weakly percurrent, the higher order venation plane and difficult to see ad- and abaxially. Inflorescences cauline, shortly racemose, with 1 to 2 flowers, the rachises glabrous, 5-60 mm long; pedicels 10-25 mm long, subtended by a single, ovate bract, 1-4 x 1.5-4 mm; bracteoles not apparent. Flower buds ovoid; mature flowers ca. 6 cm diam.; hypanthium glabrous; calyx completely enclosing bud, the apex apiculate, splitting into 2-4 irregular lobes at anthesis; petals elliptic or oblong, 25 x 10 mm, yellowish-white or yellow, spreading at anthesis; androecium obloid, the staminal tube ca. 1.5 mm high, arching from base to apex, divided into 2 chambers, the lower chamber erect, the upper chamber slanting outward, with 120-180 stamens, the filaments bent inward and tapering at apex, the outermost 7-12 mm long, yellow, the connectives absent, the anthers suborbicular, 0.6-0.8 mm long, with lateral dehiscence; ovary (3-)4-locular, with 1-4 ovules per locule, glabrous, the apex umbonate, a nectary disk absent, the style less than 0.5 mm long, sometimes appearing absent. Fruits narrowly oblong or obovate, 8-11 x 3-5 cm, the endocarp with 8 longitudinal ribs when dry, the mesocarp orange, 4 mm thick. Seeds ca. 65 x 25 mm.
Common names: Colombia. membrillo (Cardona Naranjo et al., 210). This name is also used for large-leaves species of Gustavia, e.g., for Gustavia superba.
Distribution: Grias haughtii is known only from a few collections gathered in the departments of Santander and Antioquia in Colombia.
Ecology: This species is an infrequent, small to medium-sized tree of wet forests.
Phenology: Flowers have been collected from Jan to March, and in Aug; fruits have been collected in Mar.
Pollination: Not known. However, as in some species in the genus, the flowers of Grias haughtii may be pollinated by beetles (Knudsen & Mori, 1996). There are no detailed studies of the pollination biology of any species of this genus.
Dispersal: Not known. However, based on a field observation (Alverson 366) we conclude that mammals may be involved in the dispersal of fruits. As in all species of Grias, it is most likely that the fruits of this species, once fallen to the ground, are dispersed or preyed upon by rodents.
Predation: No observations recorded.
Field characters: Grias haughtii can be recognized in the field by its limited distribution to the Colombian departmens of Antioquia and Santander; large leaves; unbranched to few-branched pachycaul habit; inflorescences with short rachises and short pedicels; androecium with 100 to 180 stamens; and an umbonate summit of the ovary.
Taxonomic notes: This species has a limited distribution and has been collected infrequently. Collections and images are needed to show the flower and mesocarp color and futher details of the flowers. The protologue states that the species attains heights of 25 to 30 m tall but we believe that this estimate is incorrect. Fertile collections gathered since the type have been less than 10 m tall.
Conservation: Because of its apparent rarity and narrow distribution, we suggest including Grias haughtii in the programs of conservation and restoration of the wet forests in Antioquia and Santander, Colombia. We also suggest that this new species be assigned the IUCN conservation status of endangered, EN B1ab(iii) (IUCN, 2001).
Uses: The timber is used for making tool handles, stakes, and for firewood. The fruits are eaten by agoutis, pacas, and other small mammals (Cardona Naranjo et al., 2010). Other species of the genus are eaten by humans (e.g., G. neuberthii and G. peruviana).
Etymology: The epithet honors Oscar Lee Haught (1893-1975), a geologist and amateur botanist, who was the collector of the type.
Source: Based on Mori in Prance, G.T. & S. A. Mori (1979) and Cardona Naranjo et al. (2010).
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Floras and Monographs
Grias haughtii R.Knuth: [Article] Prance, Ghillean T. & Mori, S. A. 1979. Lecythidaceae - Part I. The actinomorphic-flowered New World Lecythidaceae (Asteranthos, Gustavia, Grias, Allantoma & Cariniana). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-270.
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Narratives
