Platymiscium albertinae Standl. & L.O.Williams

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident

Klitgaard, B. (2005). Platymiscium (Leguminosae: Dalbergieae): Biogeography Systematics, Morphology, Taxonomy and Uses. Kew Bulletin, 60(3), 321-400. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4111062

Type

Honduras. Morazin: along the Suyapa stream, NE of Tegucigalpa, 1100 m, 20 Dec. 1948, Molina R. 570. (holotype EAP ?, n.v.; isotypes BM, F, GH, US; photo of isotypes F, GH, NY).

Morphology General Habit

Tree or shrub to 6 m tall; bark fissured; internodes of juvenile branchlets hollow

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, 5- foliolate; vegetative parts indumented; leaf axis 7 - 10 cm long, rachis twice as long as petiole, puberulent; stipules ovate, 7 - 12 x 3 - 4 mm, caducous; stipels and food bodies not seen; leaf bud scales persistent; leaflets narrowly ovate to ovate or narrowly elliptic to elliptic, distal leaflet often larger than others, (4 -) 7 - 10 x 2 - 6 cm, base cordate, apex acuminate, veinlets in areoles with sharp edges, intermixed with dots, primary vein flush with to channelled on upper surface, upper surface dark green, glossy, lower dull grey-green, juvenile leaflets puberulent all over on lower surface, only on primary vein on upper surface, at maturity indumentum persistent on veins on upper and lower surface

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of erect, lax, axillary simple 20 - 50-flowered racemes (occasionally with secondary branching), with one inflorescence per leaf axil; inflorescence axis thick, furrowed, pubescent, 3- 10 cm long including a 1- 1.5 cm long peduncle; inflorescence bud scales persistent; bracts broadly obovate, 1 x 1 mm, pubescent basally, glabrate apically, caducous before anthesis; bracteoles ovate, 2 x 1 mm, concave, pubescent basally, glabrate apically, caducous before anthesis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 9 - 10 mm long, slender, pedicellate; pedicels to 3 mm long, pubescent, articulated at calyx base, caducous before anthesis; calyx cup-shaped, to 4 mm long, robust, glabrous, base obtuse, abaxial three teeth triangular, obtuse, adaxial two fused for 2/3 of their length, obtuse; corolla yellow, standard with a purple nectar guide; standard orbicular, 8 x 6 mm, short-clawed; wing petals 7 x 3 - 4 mm, short-clawed; keel petals 6 - 7 x 2 - 4 mm, adnate along most of lower margins; stamen filaments fused for 1/2 their length, the vexillary stamen only fused at base; anthers dimorphic; ovary long-stipitate, pilose along both sutures

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Samara elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 7 x 3 - 4 cm, base and apex obtuse; exocarp green when immature, glabrate to puberulent, rusty-brown at maturity; seed not observed.

Distribution

Platymiscium albertinae is endemic to the Departments of Morazán and El Paraíso in Honduras.

Ecology

In dry or humid subtropical forest, on rocky stream banks, at 1100 - 1200 m.

Phenology

Flowering has been recorded in March and April, fruit set from August to December. While in fruit, trees have mature leaves, while in flower they develop new leaves.

Conservation

EN A2cd - endangered because of a population size reduction of >50% over the last 10 years due to a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat, and due to actual and potential levels of exploitation.

Note

Platymiscium albertinae is similar to Platymiscium parviflorum, however P. albertinae is endemic to Morazán and El Paraíso in Honduras and differs in having tomentose (vs. glabrous) vegetative organs; 5-foliolate (vs. 3(- 5)-foliolate) leaves; rachis/petiole ratio ± 2/1 (vs. ratio ± 1/2); calyx teeth 1/3 the length of the tube (vs. 1/2 the length of the tube). Platymiscium albertinae was named after Doña Albertina Rodríguez de Molina, who has collected extensively in the Guaimaca region in Honduras.