Symphonia globulifera

L. f.

(Clusiaceae)

Espinoza, R., Guadamuz, A., Perez, D., Chavarría, F. and Masís, A. 1998. Symphonia globulifera (Clusiaceae) Species Page, September 11, 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Small tree 3-4 meters tall.

Flower:

Cross section

'

Lateral view

 

Frontal view

View of the inflorescence

In general the flowers are pink. Pink calyx, corola made up of petals that are white at the base and pink at the extreme part of the opposite end. Pink stamens and pistil. The flowers are located on the far ends of the branches and leaf axils

Fruits:

Cross section of the fruit

View of the whole fruit

Green, eliptical in form, 2.5 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter. The extreme upper end has a sharp-pointed extension.

The seed is 20 cm long and has an eliptical form with a dark brown outside layer, below which is a white layer approximately 4 mm thick, and lastly the center which is a pink layer 5 mm thick. When it is cut yellow milk can be seen.

Leaves:

Upper surface

Under surface

   

Leaf arrangement

Simple opposite with a lanceolate form, 5.5-8 cm long, with slightly undulate margins and smooth shiney surface, twisted petiole 0.6-0.8 cm long.

Bark and wood:

Light brown and smooth.

Whole plant architecture:

Similar species:

Verification:

II.Geographic distribution:

International:

The American tropics, Africa and Madagascar (Quesada et al, 1997).

In Costa Rica:

In the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds (Quesada et al, 1997).

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

 Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural History:

IV. How to find:

On the road to Dos Rios de Upala (Alajuela), in the San Cristobal sector, along the border of the Quebrada Cementerio.

Acknowledgements.

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Thanks to Kate Beattie and Alexandra Kern for helping with the image management and the translation of this species page.

Literature cited:

Quesada, J.F., Jiménez, Q., Zamora, N., Aguilar, R., Gonzalez, J. 1997. Arboles de la Península de Osa.

Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Heredia.