Eschweilera rufifolia S.A.Mori

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera rufifolia S.A.Mori

  • Primary Citation

    Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21(2): 257. 1990

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Holotype -- R. Vásquez Martínez 5938

  • Description

    Author: Scott A. Mori

    Type: Peru. Loreto: Prov. Maynas, Alpahuayo (Estaci6n IIAP), 13 Nov 1984 (fl), Vasquez et al. 5938 (holotype, NY; isotype, MO).

    Description: Trees, to 25 m tall. Leaf blades elliptic to narrowly obovate, 15-32 x 6.5-10.5 cm, glabrous, without distinct punctae, chartaceous, with 8-13 pairs of lateral veins; apex short acuminate to acuminate; base usually obtuse, infrequently rounded; petiole 12-22 mm long. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, unbranched or weakly once branched paniculate arrangement of racemes, the principal rachis 10-22 cm long, the lateral rachises 1.5-5.5 cm long, all rachises densely ferrugineous pubescent, the pedicel 7-9 mm long, densely ferrugineous pubescent. Flowers ca. 3 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes widely ovate to ovate, 6-9 x 4.5-7 mm, imbricate for 1/4 to 112 length, flat to convex abaxially, flat to concave adaxially; petals 6, widely obovate, 12-18 x 813 mm, yellow; hood of androecium ca. 12 x 11 mm, with distinct double coil, yellow; staminal ring asymmetrical with 245-290 stamens, the filaments ca. 1 mm long, the anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long; hypanthium ferrugineous pubescent, constricted into well-defined pedicel; ovary 2-locular, with 10-12 ovules attached to base of locule, the style well-differentiated, geniculate, ca. 2 mm long. Fruits poorly known, turbinate, the calycine ring inserted above middle, 6-7 cm diam.

    Common names: Peru: machimango blanco.

    Distribution: Eschweilera rufifolia is known only from near Iquitos, Peru .

    Ecology: This species is an understory to canopy tree most often found in non-flooded forest.

    Phenology: Flowers have been collected from Oct and Nov.

    Pollination: No observations reported but most likely pollinated by bees as has been reported for other species of Eschweilera (e.g., Mori & Boeke, 1987).

    Dispersal: No observations recorded.

    Predation: No observations recorded.

    Field characters: This species is characterized by leaf blades that often dry reddish-brown abaxially; a large, 2-branched inflorescence with the secondary branches often arched toward the base, at least in herbarium specimens; densely ferrugineous inflorescence rachises and pedicels; and well-defined geniculate styles.


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    Taxonomic notes:

    Uses: No observations recorded.

    Etymology: The epithet refers to the reddish-brown abaxial leaf blade surface of herbarium specimens.

    Conservation status: This species has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List

    Source: Based on Mori & Prance (1990).

  • Floras and Monographs

    Eschweilera rufifolia S.A.Mori: [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.