[Botany • 2026] Sarcaulus paujilensis (Sapotaceae: Chyrsophylloideae) • Morphological and Genetic Evidence for the Sarcaulus brasiliensis complex reveals A New Species from the Rainforests of the Middle Magdalena Valley, Colombia

 

Sarcaulus paujilensis M.A.Jaram. & T. D.Penn.,

in Jaramillo, Pennington, Aymard-Corredor et Majin-Ladino, 2026. 

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.273.175192 

Abstract

Sarcaulus is a small genus of neotropical trees in the Sapotaceae. Most specimens in herbaria are identified as S. brasiliensis, a species recognized from Costa Rica to Bolivia. Morphological characteristics and molecular sequence data help us to identify a new species of Sarcaulus with hermaphrodite flowers from the Middle Magdalena Valley, Colombia. A complete description, an illustration, a Lancaster plate, information about habitat, phenology, conservation status, and the species name etymology are presented. In addition, a key for identifying Sarcaulus species is provided. Sarcaulus paujilensis is remarkable for its bisexual flowers, in an otherwise predominantly unisexual (plant dioecious) genus. This new finding increases the number of species of the genus in the Neotropical flora to six. More fieldwork and molecular phylogenetics are needed to establish many new taxa.

 

Key words: Chocó Region, Ericales, Flora Neotropical, Flora of Colombia

 

Sarcaulus paujilensis.
A. Flowering branch; B. Seed; C. Fruiting branch; D. Immature fruit; E. Mature fruit; F, G. Transversal section of fresh fruit.

Photos by A. Lizette Sierra, Paula Lara, and Luisa Suarez; B–G. Andrés F. Majín-Ladino.

Sarcaulus paujilensis M.A.Jaram. & T. D.Penn., sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Sarcaulus paujilensis resembles S. oblatus, however, this new species can be differentiated from the latter by having leaves oblanceolate to oblong (vs. elliptic to narrowly oblong-elliptic), petiole 1.7–2.5 cm long (vs. 8–15 mm long), flowers paired (vs. fascicles 5-many-flowered), bisexual (vs unisexual), sepals 5–6 mm (vs. 2.5–3 mm), staminodes ca. 2 mm long (vs. 0.5–1 mm), ovary 1–4-locular, shortly sericeous (vs. 4­5-locular, minutely adpressed puberulent), fruits ca. 50 × 25–30 mm, ovoid (vs. 22–25 × 30–32 mm, oblate), and seeds 25–28 mm long (vs. seeds 17–18 mm long).

M. Alejandra Jaramillo, Terence D. Pennington, Gerardo A. Aymard-Corredor and Andrés F. Majin-Ladino. 2026. Morphological and Genetic Evidence for the Sarcaulus brasiliensis complex (Sapotaceae, Chyrsophylloideae) reveals A New Species from the Rainforests of the Middle Magdalena Valley, Colombia. PhytoKeys. 273: 37-54. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.273.175192  [09 Apr 2026]