Platymiscium parviflorum Benth.

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

Nicaragua. "inter Nicaragua et Granada", 1851, Oersted s.n. (lectotype K; isolectotypes F, GH, K; photo of lectotype C, F, GH, NY, S).

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 15(- 25) m tall, 25 - 100 cm in diameter; crown spreading; bark smooth, whitish when young, fissured, flaking, dark grey when old; slash exudes transparent sticky sap, which oxidises brown; wood hard, light-coloured; internodes of juvenile branchlets usually solid

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or 3- verticillate, 3(- 5)-foliolate; vegetative parts glabrous; leaf axis 5 - 12 cm long, petiole as long as rachis; stipules triangular, 8 - 12 x 8 - 12 mm, caducous; stipels not seen; juvenile petiolule bases with food bodies; leaflets ovate to elliptic to broadly elliptic, distal leaflet larger than others, 4 - 10(- 15) x (2.5 -)3 - 4(- 7.5) cm, base rounded, 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 green

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of erect, dense, axillary, simple 20 - 50-flowered racemes (occasionally with secondary branching), with up to 2 inflorescences per leaf axil; inflorescence axis thick, furrowed, with prominent pedicel scars, matted-pubescent, 3 - 10 cm long including a 1.5 - 2 cm long peduncle; bracts broadly obovate, 1.5 x 1 mm, glabrous, pubescent along margins, caducous before anthesis; bracteoles ovate, 1.5 x 1 mm, concave, glabrate, pubescent along margins, caducous before anthesis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 7- 10 mm long, slender, pedicellate or subsessile; pedicels to 2 mm long, usually with food bodies at base, matted- pubescent, articulated at calyx base, persistent after 381 flower fall; calyx cup-shaped, to 4 mm long, robust, glabrous, pubescent along teeth margins, base obtuse, three abaxial teeth triangular, acute, adaxial two connate for 2/3 their length, acute; corolla yellow or orange; standard orbicular, 8 x 7 mm, shortly clawed, orange marginally, with a central maroon nectar guide; wing petals 7 x 3 - 4 mm, short-clawed; keel petals 6 - 7 x 2 - 4 mm, short-clawed, adnate along part of lower margins, ciliate along free part of margins; stamen filaments fused for 1/2 their length, the vexillary stamen only fused at base; anthers dimorphic; ovary long-stipitate, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Samara elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 6.5 - 9 x 2.5 - 4 cm, base and apex acute, glabrous; exocarp rusty brown at maturity; seed 12 - 30 x 8 - 12 mm, reniform, with dull, chartaceous testa

Seedling

Seedling germination phaneroepigeal, first eophylls unifoliolate, opposite, cordate, variable in size

Cytology

Chromosome number: 2n=32 (Bawa 1973).

Distribution

Platymiscium parviflorum is infrequent and scattered over a wide geographical area in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Ecology

In dry deciduous forest or hillsides, from 0 - c. 900 m.

Phenology

The prolific flowering happens while the trees are leafless or have juvenile leaves, which makes them very showy, even from a distance. Flowering has been recorded from December to March. Fruiting happens when the trees have mature leaves and has been recorded from late February to April. Fruits from the previous season occasionally persist on the tree until the next flowering season.

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

Coyote (Nicaragua, Honduras); Granadillo (Guatemala); Panizo, Granadillo, Panito (El Salvador), Nambar (Costa Rica).

Note

This species is prolifically flowering with sweetly scented flowers and attractive to bees. It is similar to Platymiscium albertinae, which is, however, endemic to Morazain and El Paraiso in Honduras and which 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). It is also similar to P. curuense which differs in having 5-foliolate (vs. 3(- 5)-foliolate) leaves, and rachis/petiole ratio 2/1 (vs. 1/2). Daubenmire 343 and Frankie 364c have food bodies at the base of the petioles and petiolules. Oersted 4539, Standley 3139, and Janzen 10527 have persistent calyces. Platymiscium pleiostachyum was said to be 3-foliolate in Donnell Smith's (1913) description, but even the type includes material that is 5-foliolate.

Use

Used locally for house construction, for making marimbas and xylophones, and for furniture.