Platymiscium hebestachyum Benth.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

bao, marcay, trébol, vaho

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Caribbean, Orinoquia. Elevation range: 160–1580 m a.s.l. Endemic to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bolívar, Caldas, Caquetá, Casanare, Cundinamarca.

Habit

Shrub, Tree.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC. National Red List of Colombia (2021): LC.

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

Colombia. Magdalena/Cundinamarca: Tocaima, 8 Dec. 1853, Holton 993 (holotype K; isotypes G, GH, NY; photo of holotype C, F, GH, NY, S).

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 12 m tall, to 25 cm in diameter; wood hard, durable; internodes of juvenile branchlets solid, covered with oblong lenticels

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, 3 - 5- foliolate; vegetative parts glabrous; leaf axis 5 - 8 cm long; stipules triangular, 8 - 10 x 8 - 10 mm, caducous; stipels and food bodies not seen; leaflets oblong, elliptic to broadly ovate, distal leaflet larger than others, 4 - 12 x 2 - 8 cm, base cordate or obtuse, veinlets in areoles with sharp edges, intermixed with dots, primary vein channelled on upper surface, lamina very coriaceous, drying dull green, primary and secondary venation drying yellow, prominent on upper and lower surfaces

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of erect, compact, axillary simple 13 - 20-flowered racemes (occasionally with secondary branching), with 2- several inflorescences per leaf axil; inflorescence axis thick, furrowed, tomentose, 3 - 7 cm long including a 0.5 - 2 cm long peduncle; bracts ovate, 2 - 3 x 1 mm, tomentose, caducous before anthesis; bracteoles widely ovate, 1 - 2 x 1 - 2 mm, tomentose, persistent after anthesis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 10 - 11 mm long, compact, pedicellate; pedicels to 6 mm long, tomentose, articulated at calyx base, caducous after flower fall; 375 calyx tubular, 4 - 5 mm long, delicate, glabrate on outer surface, tomentose on inner surface of teeth, base attenuate, abaxial three teeth triangular, acute, adaxial two connate for 1/3 their length, acute; corolla pale yellow; standard orbicular, 7 - 8 x 7 - 8 mm, apex emarginate, short-clawed, with a central purple nectar guide; wing petals 10 - 11 x 4- 5 mm; keel petals 9 - 10 x 3 - 4 mm, long-adnate along lower margins, ciliate along free part of margins; stamen filaments fused for 1/2 their length, the vexillary stamen only fused for 1/3 of its length; anthers monomorphic; ovary long-stipitate, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Samara elliptic, 6 - 7 x 2.5 - 3 cm; exocarp glabrous, dull brown, papery when mature; seed not observed

Seedling

First eophylls unifoliolate.

Distribution

Platymiscium hebestachyum is endemic to Colombia.

Ecology

Infrequent, scattered in dry habitats on clayey loam, at 350 - 1100 m.

Phenology

Flowering has been recorded from December to March, fruiting from December to May. The leaves of Platymiscium hebestachyum remain during flowering, which is unusual for the genus.

Conservation

CR A2cd - critically endangered because of a population size reduction of 80% 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.

Vernacular

Bio (in Tocaima) and Marcay (in Caparrapi) (García Barriga & Forero 1968).

Note

Platymiscium hebestachyum belongs to the group of large-flowered, hairy species. In four years a tree can reach a height of five metres (Pérez Arbeláez 1978).  It resembles P. curuense, which has shorter inflorescences and smaller flowers. Additionally, the leaflets of P. hebestachyum are characteristically coriaceous with yellow venation upon drying, both features absent in P. curuense.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Endémica y nativa en Colombia; Alt. 160 - 1580 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Arbusto, árbol

Conservation

No Evaluada

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/124100430/153307036

Conservation

LC - least concern