Swartzia apiculata R.S.Cowan

  • Authority

    Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Swartzia apiculata R.S.Cowan

  • Type

    Type collection. G. Wilson-Browne 329 (F. D. 5755) (NY), Wabuwak, Kanuka Mts., Guyana, Oct. 1948.

  • Description

    Description - Tree with the petioles terete, tomentose; rachis 13.5-15 cm long, slightly canaliculate on the upper surface, tomentulose; leaflets 4-jugate, the petiolules ca 3 mm long, tomentulose, the blades 8.5-14 cm long, 5.5-6 cm wide, oblong, oblong-oblanceolate or oblong-elliptic, rounded-obtuse basally, the apex rounded and shortly acute, the tip blunt, glabrous on the upper surface, tomentose sparingly beneath, the costa and the primary veins impressed on the upper surface, salient beneath; inflorescence cauligerous, racemose, 12-20 cm long, the axis velutinous, the bracts ca 1 mm long triangular, persistent, the bracteoles lacking; pedicels 6-9 mm long, minutely strigulose; buds ca 7 mm diameter, globose; calyx segments glabrous within, densely strigulose externally, persistent with the young fruits; petal yellow, oblanceolate, ca 18 mm long and 10 mm wide, sparsely sericeous on the costa externally; larger stamens 6, the filaments ca 7 mm long, sparingly villose, the anthers lanceolate, the connective prolonged-apiculate, 5-5.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, the smaller stamens glabrous, the filaments 4-7 mm long, the anthers 3 mm long, 1 mm wide; stigma truncate; style 1 mm long, sericeous; ovary 4 mm long, 2 mm wide, oblong, falcate, sericeous-velutinous, the gynophore 4 mm long, densely sericeous; fruits not seen.

  • Discussion

    When I described this species originally, I was not aware of others with the prominently apiculate stamen-connective of this species. There are several, however, with this characteristic in various parts of the genus, indicating that the character has evolved more than once.

    Vegetatively, S. apiculata approaches in aspect S. davisii, also of Guyana, but that species has an almost glabrous ovary and much longer pedicels. In floral morphology, S. apiculata is as near S. schultesii as it is to any other species; they differ in the number of pairs and size of leaflets, the length of pedicels, and the length of the anthers of the larger stamens.

  • Distribution

    (Fig. 7). Known only by the type collection from southern Guyana, in the rain forest at 600 m alt.

    Guyana South America|