Terminalia eriostachya A.Rich.

  • Authority

    Stace, C. A. & Alwan, A.-R A. 2010. Combretaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 107: 1-369. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Combretaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Terminalia eriostachya A.Rich.

  • Type

    Type. Cuba. La Habana, de la Sagra s.n. (holotype & isotypes, P); Habana, 1833, de la Sagra 624 (paratype, G); de la Sagra 285 (paratype, BM); Franqueville, de la Sagra 281 (paratype, K).

  • Synonyms

    Terminalia bipleura Borhidi & O.Muñiz, Terminalia canescens Borhidi & O.Muñiz

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree to 20 m (? deciduous or evergreen). Leaves 3.5-14 × 1.5-7.5 cm, subcoriaceous, oblong- or elliptic-obovate or -oblanceolate, narrowly to widely cuneate at base, obtuse to rounded at apex, usually revolute at margin, pubescent becoming glabrous adaxially, densely pubescent becoming subglabrous abaxially; domatia absent. Venation brochidodromous; midvein moderate to stout, very prominent; secondary veins (5-)8-14 pairs, moderately spaced! originating at widely acute angles, curved distally, prominent; intersecondary veins sometimes present; tertiary veins randomly reticulate, conspicuous on both surfaces; higher order veins well developed; areolation imperfect, very prominent. Petiole 0.3-2 cm, densely pubescent becoming subglabrous, biglandular Inflorescences (8 ? broken) 12-20 cm, simple, with all flowers bisexual; peduncle 2-5 cm, pubescent; rhachis (6) 10-15 cm, tomentose. Flowers pentamerous, 7- 10 × 5-8 mm; lower hypanthium 3-6 mm, tomentose; upper hypanthium 3-4 mm, campanulate, densely pubescent; calyx lobes 2-3 mm, thick, bent out at base but tips incurved, densely pubescent; disk villous; stamens 4-6 mm; style 4-5.5 mm, glabrous. Fruits often disposed along whole length of rhachis, 1-1.5 × 2.5-4 cm, strongly flattened, transversely elliptic in side view, rounded to emarginate or apiculate at apex broadly cuneate and not or shortly pseudostipitate at base, pubescent; wings 2, stiff, equal, 1-2 cm wide narrowly rounded laterally, curved basiscopically; body 0.4-0.5 cm wide, keeled on one face, flat on other. Reproductive biology. Flowering February to May; fruiting April onwards.

  • Discussion

    Illustrations. Figs. 74f (fr), 79c (If).

    Terminalia eriostachya is closely related to T. chicharronia subsp. chicharronia, with which it is sympatric. It seems constantly different in its larger leaves and flowers, glabrous style and longer inflorescences, but might prove to be better as a fifth subspecies of T. chicharronia. Proctor et al. 47785 is noted by Proctor as having separate male and female spikes, but the flowers dissected by us are all bisexual and all the spikes we have seen bear fruits.

  • Distribution

    In forests and by rivers in the hills of eastern and western (not central) Cuba (Oriente, La Habana, Pinar del Ri'o), and in Grand Cayman.

    La Habana Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America| Granma Cuba South America| Guantánamo Cuba South America| Santiago de Cuba Cuba South America| Oriente Cuba South America| Grand Cayman Cayman Islands South America|