Platymiscium stipulare Benth.

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

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 120 m.; Amazonia.

Morphology General Habit

Árbol

Conservation

No Evaluada

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

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

Peru. San Martin: "prope Tarapoto", 1856, Spruce 4292 (lectotype K; isolectotypes BM, C, F, G, GH, K, LUND, NY, OXF, P, W; photo of type C, F, GH, MO, NY, S).

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 30 m tall, 30- 50 cm in diameter; crown open; bark smooth to slightly furrowed, bright grey; wood heavy, hard, sapwood cream, heartwood brown; internodes of juvenile branchlets usually hollow

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or 3-verticillate, (3 -) 5 (- 7)-foliolate; vegetative parts glabrous; leaf axis (5 -)11 - 21 cm long, rachis more than one time as long as petiole; stipules narrowly triangular, 10 - 25 mm long, caducous; leaflets broadly elliptic to elliptic or broadly ovate to ovate (leaflets larger on saplings than on mature trees) 7.5 - 20 x 5 - 12 cm, base rounded, apex acuminate, veinlets in areoles with sharp edges, not intermixed with dots, primary vein flush with upper surface, upper surface waxy, slightly coriaceous, glossy, dark green, lower surface dull, dark green

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of erect, densely-flowered, axillary, simple 70 - 130-flowered racemes (occasionally with secondary branching), usually with one inflorescence per leaf axil, sometimes with two; inflorescence bud scales robust, caducous; inflorescence axis thick, furrowed, with prominent pedicel scars, tomentose, (5 -)8 - 20 cm long including a 1 - 1.5 cm long peduncle; bracts spathulate, 5 x 3 mm, glabrous or ciliate along margins, persistent after flower fall; bracteoles narrowly ovate to ovate, 2 - 3 x 1.5 mm, connate basally, apically glabrate on outer surface, basally tomentose, and with hair tufts on inner surface basally, persistent after flower fall

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 12 - 16 mm long, slender, pedicellate; pedicels 5 - 7 mm long, tomentose, articulated at calyx base; calyx cup-shaped, 4 - 5 mm long, robust, glabrous, ciliate along teeth margins, base rounded, 5-toothed, abaxial three teeth triangular, acute, adaxial two, obtuse; corolla bright yellow or orange; standard orbicular, 9 - 13 x 7 - 11 mm, short-clawed, with a central purple nectar guide; wing petals 11 - 14 x 3 - 7 mm, short-clawed; keel petals 11 - 15 x (3 -)5 - 6 mm, adnate along most of lower margins, ciliate along free part of lower margins and along claws; stamen monadelphous or pseudo-monadelphous, filaments fused progressively higher abaxially; anthers monomorphic; ovary long-stipitate, glabrous, rarely ciliate along upper suture

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Samara elliptic, 6.5 - 7 x 3.5 - 4 cm; exocarp glabrous, hard, glossy; seed not observed.

Distribution

This species occurs in Amazonian Ecuador in the Provinces Morona Santiago, Pastaza, Napo, and Sucumbíos; in Amazonian Peru in the Departments Huánuco, Madre de Dios, Loreto, Amazonas, and San Martín; in Beni, Bolivia, and in Acre, Brazil.

Ecology

Primary or secondary rain forest on terra firme or along rivers, from sea level to 750 m.

Phenology

While flowering the trees are often leafless or developing new leaves. While in fruit they often bear mature leaves. One collection, the type, Spruce 4292, was made with flowers, fruits and leaves. He may, however, have returned to the same tree several times, collecting the tree at different stages in its reproductive cycle, but using the same collection number, as has been seen with other Spruce collections. Flowering has been recorded in May, and in September (the majority of collections) in Ecuador and from October to November in Peru. Fruit set has been recorded in Ecuador in October, January, and February, and in Peru in April, May, and October.

Conservation

VU A3cd. Vulnerable because of a population size reduction of 30% over the next 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

Caihap nana, Huambisa (Peru); Caoba (Ecuador).

Note

Young individuals often have larger leaflets differing in shape from those on adult trees. The hollow branchlets and internodes are often inhabited by aggressive or non-aggressive ant species. This was mentioned by Bentham (1860) in the protologue to Platymiscium stipulare, and McKey (1989) described P. stipulare as an "ant-plant". On older trees the leaves tend to cluster terminally on the branches. Platymiscium stipulare is readily recognised by its large stipules, and large bracts and bracteoles, unique features which it does not share with any other Platymiscium species. Its closest relative appears to be P. trinitatis. In Peru, where the two species grow sympatrically, individuals having an intermediate range of character states occur (e. g. Klug 3832). This suggests that hybridisation may occur. Allen & Allen (1981) observed nitrogen-fixing root nodules on a cultivated specimen in Hawaii. Ule 6449 has the most slender keel petals which are only 3 mm wide. In Spruce 4292 (the type collection) both monadelphous and pseudo-diadelphous androecia are found.

Use

In Ecuador the species is considered a valuable timber.