Platymiscium floribundum Vogel

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

Brazil. "merid", Sellow 373 (holotype B† (photo neg. # 2300 (in F series) F, G, GH, MO, NY); isotype F (= fragment of holotype)).

Morphology General Habit

Tree, medium-sized to tall; crown loosely spreading to rounded; bark smooth, lenticellate, slightly fissured longitudinally when young, fissured both longitudinally and horizontally into thick rectangular blocks when old; slash exudes sap; sapwood very hard, creamish, heart wood brown

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or 3-verticillate, both states found on same tree, 5 - 7 (- 9)-foliolate; vegetative parts glabrous; leaflets distal leaflet often larger than others, veinlets of areoles with sharp edges, not intermixed with dots, primary vein flush with upper surface.

Distribution

Platymiscium floribundum is distributed in eastern Brazil from Ceará in the north to Santa Catarina in the south, and from interior Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Goiás, and Bahia in the west to the Atlantic forests of the east.

Phenology

Prolific flowering happens while trees are leafless or are developing new leaves, and fruit set occurs when trees have mature leaves.

Vernacular

Bálsamo, Bálsamo branco, Bálsamo rosa, Ipê rosa, Jacarandá-branco, Rabugem (all from Bahia); Coração-de-negro (Pernambuco); Curtisa, Jacarandá (Santa Catarina); Sacambu; Jacarandá-do- litoral; Jacarandá-rosa; Jacarandá-vermelha.

Note

Platymiscium floribundum has been a notorious problem to identify, partly because the taxon has not previously been studied across its geographical range, and partly because several species names, here treated as synonyms of P. floribundum, have been applied to the same taxon. Four varieties are recognised here, based on geographical distribution, habitat and flower size. In habit Platymiscium floribundum is similar to P. pinnatum of the western Amazon basin and Panama. The two species are the most widespread and variable in the genus, but there is insufficient evidence for lumping the two species. Detailed morphometric and molecular studies are required before such a decision is taken. For this treatment of Platymiscium I have had very few collections available from the Brazilian States Acre, Rôndonia, and Mato Grosso. Most of the available specimens are sterile, but may be intermediates between P. floribundum and P. pinnatum. In all the varieties of Platymiscium floribundum the sap oxidises red or stays transparent; the flowers are strongly scented with a perfume which attracts large numbers of bees and wasps; and the calyx is green, turning maroon.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/124099142/148753416

Conservation

LC - least concern

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