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| Erythrostemon guatemalensis Eisermann & G.P.Lewis, in Eisermann, Lewis, Forest, Gagnon, Csiba, Aju et Williamson. 2025. |
Summary
A new tree species, Erythrostemon guatemalensis Eisermann & G.P.Lewis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinieae), is described and illustrated based on morphological characters. The species occurs in montane, seasonally dry, tropical forest in the Pacific slope highlands of Guatemala, Departamento Sacatepéquez. Phenology data is derived from four years of field observations. Erythrostemon guatemalensis is morphologically similar to E. nicaraguensis (G.P.Lewis) Gagnon & G.P.Lewis but differs in several character details. The two species are allopatrically distributed with a distance of 450 km between their population localities and they occur at different elevations. Molecular analyses place this new taxon into a species group with E. exostemma (Sessé & Moc. ex DC.) Gagnon & G.P.Lewis, E. hughesii (G.P.Lewis) Gagnon & G.P.Lewis and E. nicaraguensis.
Key Words: Caesalpinia group, Central America, endemism, Fabaceae, pine-oak forest, montane seasonally dry tropical forest, volcanic highlands
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| Nectary and pollinators of Erythrostemon guatemalensis. A flower with the upper lateral petals and the standard removed to show two gaps at the base between the upper filaments, providing access to the nectary (K. Eisermann 319); B Scoliid wasp Pygodasis ephippium (Scoliidae); C large carpenter bee Xylocopa frontalis (Apidae); D medium-sized carpenter bee Xylocopa tabaniformis (Apidae). photos: Knut EISERMANN. |
Erythrostemon guatemalensis Eisermann & G.P.Lewis sp. nov.
Type: Guatemala, Departamento Sacatepéquez, Municipio de Antigua Guatemala, Finca El Pilar ...
Knut Eisermann, Gwilym P. Lewis, Félix Forest, Edeline Gagnon, Laszlo Csiba, Javier Aju and Juliet Williamson. 2025. Erythrostemon guatemalensis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinieae), A New Endangered tree Species from the Pacific Slope highlands of Guatemala. Kew Bulletin. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12225-025-10300-0 [05 July 2025]
