Swartzia davisii Sandwith

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Swartzia davisii Sandwith

  • Type

    Type collection. T. A. W. Davis 576 (F. D. 2617) (holotype K; isotype U), Malissa Creek, Berbice R., Guyana, Mar. 1938.

  • Description

    Description - Tree ca 12 m tall, the branchlets tomentose; stipules caducous, not seen; petioles terete, (2-)4-5 cm long, tomentose; rachis terete, 10-17 cm long, tomentose, exalate but canaliculate on the upper side, shortly stipellate at each pair of leaflets; leaflets 4- or 5-jugate, the petiolules 1-4.5 mm long, tomentose, the blades elliptic, oblong-elliptic or obovate-elliptic, the basal pair smallest, 8-9.5 cm long, 4.5-5 cm wide, the blades of the other pairs 12.5-19 cm long, 5.5-7.5 cm wide, the terminal leaflets 14-19 cm long, 7-9 cm wide, the base and apex of all the leaflets acute, tomentose on the costa on the upper surface, glaucescent and subappressed-pilose beneath, the costa and primary veins impressed slightly on the upper surface of the leaflets, salient beneath; inflorescence cauligerous, racemose, 22-38 cm long, the axis densely subappressed-pilose, the bracts caducous, lanceolate, 3.5-4.5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, strigulose externally, glabrous within, the bracteoles lacking; pedicels 16-23 mm long, subappressed-pilose; buds oval in outline, ca 10 mm long and 8 mm wide, densely strigulose; calyx segments 4 or 5, densely strigulose externally, glabrous on the inner surface; petal pale yellow, villose-sericeous on the costa externally, glabrous on the inner surface, the claw 2.5 mm long, the blade rounded, cordate basally, ca 15 mm diameter; stamens glabrous, the filaments of the 4 larger ones 12 mm long, the anthers 4-5 mm long, 1 mm wide, slightly apiculate, the filaments of the smaller stamens ca 9 mm long, the anthers 3 mm long, 1 mm wide, oblong, slightly apiculate; gynoecium glabrous, the stigma truncate, the style 0.7-1.5 mm long, the ovary narrowly arcuate-oblong, 8-14 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, the gynophore 6.5-9 mm long; fruit not seen.

  • Discussion

    As suggested by Sandwith, the closest affinities of this species are probably with S. cardiosperma and S. corrugata, and of these the former appears to be the nearer. The shape of the leaflets, which are pilose beneath in S. davisii, and the glabrous androecium and gynoecium of this species, serve to distinguish it from any of its close relatives.

  • Common Names

    Itikibouraballi

  • Distribution

    (Fig. 7). Known only by the type collection from northeastern Guyana in mixed forest growing on sandy clay soil.

    Guyana South America|