Lysiloma acapulcense (Kunth) Benth.

S. W. Gale, & Pennington, T. (2004). Lysiloma (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) in Mesoamerica. Kew Bulletin, 59(3), 453-467. doi:10.2307/4110952

Type

Mexico, Guerrero, near Acapulco, Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (holotype: P).

Morphology General Habit

Small to medium sized tree 4 - 12(- 20) m tall, with heavy branching and a wide, spreading crown

Morphology General Bark

Bark dark grey to blackish, deeply fissured, flaking and detaching in large rectangular chunks

Morphology Trunk Slash

Slash/sapwood deep pink

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 5 - 13 mm long, narrowly linear or triangular, occasionally ovate, apex acute or occasionally pungent, caducous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves (7.2 -)9.4 - 17(- 19) cm long; petioles 1.1 - 2(- 2.5) cm long, bearing a large irregular crateriform gland at (or within 6 mm of) the apex, though more usually at the base of the first pair of pinnae; gland 1 - 2.5 mm long at base and to 1.5 mm tall, glabrous though frequently with short bristle-like hairs at the apex and in and around the pore; rachis (5.9 -)8.5 - 13.5(- 15.6) cm long, hirsute to hispidate with a thin but continuous cover of erect, curly, (off-) white hairs to 0.4 mm long, with 0 - 3 small squat crateriform or discoid glands at the base of terminal pinnae pairs, either entirely pubescent or barbate in and around the pore; pinnae (9 -)11 - 17(- 20) pairs per leaf, pinna rachis usually hirsute with a thin but continuous cover of curly (off-) white hairs, occasionally densely so, especially on recently flushed leaves, or only weakly or locally pubescent on the adaxial surface, occasionally with 1- 3 minute crateriform to cylindrical glands at the base of the terminal leaflet pairs

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets (28 -)39 - 55(- 65) pairs per pinna, (2.5 -)3.8 - 5.8(- 8.0) mm long, 0.5 - 1.0(- 1.2) mm wide, narrowly linear, sometimes falcate towards the apex, the apex obtuse occasionally acute, the base strongly asymmetric with the midrib frequently at the anterior margin, arching back in and towards the centre at the apex, secondary veins not visible, margins ciliate, otherwise glabrous or occasionally pubescent especially on young leaves, tightly aligned on recently flushed leaves with 0.8 - 1 mm between adjacent leaflet petiolules (though more widely spaced on older/fruiting specimens) and so usually imbricate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences solitary or in fascicles of 2 - 4(- 7), simple, at leaf axils and occasionally leafless nodes, rarely compound, spicate, the floral axis (1.8 -)3.9 - 5.6(- 7.5) cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sweetly scented, shortly pedicellate, rarely sessile, pedicels 0.2 - 0.5 mm long; floral bracteoles linear, pubescent, up to 2 mm long, caducous at anthesis; calyx pubescent, pink, 1.5 - 2.0 mm long, the corolla ± twice as long as calyx, pale green-yellow, the lobes barbate; filaments cream-white, anthers yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods dehiscing craspedially (the valves detaching along the sutural ridges), shiny brown, oblong to elliptical, 8.0 - 15.5(- 23.0) cm long, 2.2 - 3.5(- 5.4) cm wide, often twisted, the margins sinuate, occasionally parallel, sometimes with one large sinus, the base obtuse to acute, the apex acute to rostrate, rarely obtuse; exocarp thick, coriaceous, flaking off in large brittle fragments; peduncles stout, 2 - 2.5 mm diameter, 4.2 - 6.2 cm long; stipe short and stout, to 8(- 20) mm long, with 1-4(- 12) pods per capitulum.

Vernacular

Quebracho (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico), Suj (Honduras), Tepehuaje (Mexico).

Distribution

Mexico (southern and central Mexico as far north as Sinaloa), Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and northwest Nicaragua

Ecology

Typical of dry deciduous forest (selva baja caducifolia) throughout its range, often growing at high altitude, 285 - 1750 m and on poor rocky soils. Associated species include Byrsonima crassifolia, Curatella americana, Leucaena esculenta, and Acacia, Haematoxylum, Tabebuia and Tecoma species. Often forming dense thickets with Ceiba and Pithecellobium species and regenerating along roadsides and in degraded forests.

Note

Though easily distinguished by its spicate inflorescences, Lysiloma acapulcense is similar to L. aurita in both leaf morphology and growth habit. In fruiting specimens, the long, stout peduncle bears scars from the abscised flowers along its tip (testament to the spicate inflorescence), which are visible with a hand lens. In L. acapulcense, a single capitulum will often give rise to a greater number of pods than in L. aurita, which when ripe have a thicker, almost woody exocarp.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Protein Content

40.60% Entire seed/nut. Moisture content not stated (Jones & Earle, 1966)

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: not threatened. Confidence: confident

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Tree

Vernacular

Quebracho Colorado, Sicahuite, Tepehuaje