Coccoloba tuerckheimii Donn. Sm. Bot. Gaz.

Ancona, Juan José, Ortiz-Díaz, Juan Javier, Gutiérrez-Alonso, Eduardo & Ledesma, Patricia Hernández, 2025, A taxonomic revision of Coccoloba sect. Paniculatae (Polygonaceae, Eriogonoideae), Phytotaxa 704 (2), pp. 106-152 : 147-149

17. Coccoloba tuerckheimii Donn. Sm. Bot. Gaz. 37 (3): 213. 1904 ( Fig. 20A–F ).

Lectotype (designated by Howard, 1959b: 216 as “ isotype ”, here corrected according to the Art. 9.10 of ICN):— GUATEMALA. Alta Verapaz: Cubilgüitz , 250 m, July 1903, Tuerckheim 8493 (holotype GH!; isotype F!,, K!, NY!, US!).

= Coccoloba standleyana P.H. Allen, Rain Forests Golfo Dulce : 409. 1956.

Type: COSTA RICA. collected in the Esquinas Forest at about 60 m, 20 November 1950, Allen 6645 (holotype EAP!).

‒ Coccoloba guatemalensis hort. ex Lindau nom. inval. (Art. 38.1 of ICN).

Description:— Trees hermaphrodites, functionally unisexual, 7–15 (–25) m height; branches striate, glabrous, brown to greyish, sparsely lenticelated; ochrea 2–3 (–5) cm long, striate, oblique, glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate; petioles 1.5–4.5 (–7) cm long, 1.5–8 (–1.3) mm diameter, striate, puberulent to glabrous, brown, rising above the base of the ochrea; leaf blade (13–) 20–45 (– 70 in adventitious shoots) cm long, (7–) 10–25 (– 40 in adventitious shoots) cm wide, obovate to broadly elliptical-oblong, glabrous or with few trichomes in the axils beneath, chartaceous, margin entire slightly undulate, apex abruptly narrow or short acuminate, base acute to rounded, decurrent on petiole to truncate; venation brochidodromous, reticulate, primary veins 6–10 pairs. Inflorescence racemiform arranged in a large sympodial panicle, 6 to numerous branches, main axis reduced, 2.5–4.5 cm long: portion racemiform (13.6–) 20.4–26.1 (–40.2) cm long; glabrous; rachis 1–2 mm diameter, striate, pulverulent; bracteole absent, ochreola 0.6–0.8 mm long, membranous, pulverulent, apex rounded; pedicels 1.5 in flowers, 1.5–3 mm long in fruit; Flowers in two whorls, outer tepals 3, inner tepals 2, alternate; flowers functionally male 2–3 × fascicle; hypanthium 1–1.2 mm long, hirtulous, turbinate, abruptly narrowed at the pedicel; outer tepals hirtulous, coriaceous, inner tepals glabrous, papery; tepals 1.2–1.5 mm long; stamens 6, 2–2.5 mm long, filaments filiform 2 mm long, anthers 0.5 mm long; ovary 0.5–0.8 mm long, trigonous, glabrous, style 3, 0.5 mm long; flowers functionally female not seen. Fruit acrosarcum, 9.5–10 mm long, 6–6.8 mm diameter, ovoid, apex obtuse, base rounded, abruptly contracted at junction with pedicel, dark brown to black, glabrous; hypanthium accrescent, succulent, almost completely enclosing achene, tepals accrescent, appressed at the apex tuberculate of the achene; achene 7.5–8.5 mm long, 5.4–6.4 mm diameter, globose to ovoid, base rounded, apex tuberculate, depressed–pyramidal, slightly prominent, brown, smooth, glossy.

Etymology:—The specific epithet of this species is in honor to Jean de Turckheim, German lawyer, naturalist and botanical collector, who is the collector of the type.

Phenology:—Flowers from May to September; and fruit from July to November.

Distribution and ecology:—This species has a wide distribution in Mesoamerica, from Mexico (Veracruz and Chiapas) to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama ( Fig. 20G ). It inhabits seasonal savannas and seasonally dry forests.

Provisional conservation status:—It is a species of wide distribution, therefore the estimate of the EOO is 639,608.72 km 2, within the threshold for Least Concern (LC)status under subcriterion B1, and the AOO is estimated as 340 km 2, which is below the threshold for Endangered (EN) status under subcriterion B2. There are 107 known occurrences of C. tuerckheimii representing more than 50 subpopulations.A large proportion of occurrences are located within protected natural areas and another large percentage are located outside these areas, living within or around vegetation fragmented to severely fragmented by urban growth and agriculture. According to the IUCN methodology ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024), if the EOO threshold is lower than the AOO threshold, the EOO should be set equal to the AOO to ensure consistency with the definition of AOO as an area within the EOO. Therefore, C. tuerckheimii is assigned a preliminary status of Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].

Typification of Coccoloba tuerckheimii : — Coccoloba tuerckheimii was described by Smith (1904) citing specimen Tuerckheim 8493, however there are six sheets in different herbaria. Howard (1959b) selected the syntype deposited in the GH herbarium as the isotype. According to the Art. 9.10 of ICN, Howard’s indication of “ isotype ” must be corrected to lectotype.

Coccoloba standleyana was described by Allen (1956) from adventitious shoots. In the “Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica ”, Soto (2014) placed C. standleyana as a synonym of C. mollis , however the adventitious shoots in C. mollis the leaf blades are ovate or broadly ovate, with the underside pilose or pubescent, while the adventitious shoots in C. standleyana the leaf blade are broadly elliptical or broadly obovate, with the underside puberulous or hirtellous, due to these characteristics we have excluded C. standleyana as a synonym of C. mollis . Recently, Ancona et al. (2023) in the description of two new species of Coccoloba sect. Paniculatae , reviewed specimens of C. belizensis including adventitious shoots and considered C. standleyana as a synonym of C. belizensis . However, in this work, reviewing more specimens throughout the distribution range of C. belizensis and C. tuerckheimii , we observed that the adventitious shoots of these species are different. Coccoloba belizensis has leaves 40–45 cm long, ovate to broadly elliptic, corrugated and glabrous. While C. tuerckheimii , like the type material of C. standleyana , has leaves 30–35 cm long, are elliptic-oblanceolate to elliptic-obovate, abaxial surface puberulous or hirtellous; with the petiole and ochrea densely puberulous or hirtellous. Therefore, in this work we have considered C. belizensis as a separate species and C. standleyana as a synonym of C. tuerckheimii .

Another name that has been treated as a synonym of Coccoloba tuerckheimii is C. guatemalensis . The name Coccoloba guatemalensis was assigned to a plant cultivated in the garden of the monastery of Paris, and Lindau (1891) considered it to correspond to C. latifolia , placing the names as synonyms. According to Art. 8.4 of INC, the type specimens of taxon names must be preserved permanently and cannot be living organisms or cultures. Therefore, the name C. guatemalensis is based on a living collection and, as such, is not acceptable as a type. Consequently, the type was not indicated and the name C. guatemalensis was not validly published (Art. 40.1). Howard (1959b) reviewed the Central American specimens identified as C. latifolia and concluded that they are most similar to C. tuerckhemii , ruling out the presence of C. latifolia in Central America.

Specimens examined:— BELICE. Cayo: Chiquibul, Monkey Tail, 16°33ʹN, 88°51ʹW, 550 m, 5 April 1994, Monro 1808 (BM); La Flor hunting camp on Rio la Flor, 6 miles south of Grano de Oro, 1700 – 2000 ft, 3 June 1973, Liesner 7845 (MO); Toledo: Maya Mountains, Blanden Nature Reserve. Upper Blanden Branch basin, Mukle Bal Tsul ruin, Holst 52420 (MO); Southwestern Maya Mountains, Columbia River Forest Reserve, 3–4 km E of Union Camp, 8 April 1992, Holst 4228 (MO); vicinity of Sapote Camp, c. 6.5 miles que west of Medina Bank , 800–1200 ft, 23–27 April 1976, Proctor 35950 (BM). COSTA RICA. Alajuela: along the Sarapiquí road, about 0.5 km south of Cariblanco, and along the bank of the Rio Cariblanco, 800 m, 4 November 1974, Hartshorn 1544 (MO); Cantón de Los Chiles R. N. V. S., Caño Negro, llanura de Guatuso. Caño Negro centro, 10°54ʹ50ʺN, 84°46ʹ05ʺW, 40 m, 24 June 1993, Martínez & Flores 169 (MO; CR); Cantón de San Carlos, 975 m, 1 March 1939, Smith H1694 (MO); Cantón de Upala P. N. Guanacaste, Cordillera de Guanacaste, Estación San Ramón, sendero Argentina, 10°52ʹ58ʺN, 85°24ʹ59ʺW, 600 m, 12 November 1994, Espinosa 1187 (MO, CR); Reserva Forestal San Ramón, límite NE. 2 km por aire de las Rocas, 10°17ʹ10ʺN, 84°35ʹ30ʺW, 700m, 11 December 1989, Gómez et al. 11857 (MO, CR); San Carlos, margen del Rio Peñas Blancas, a la altura de San Pedro, a la orilla del camino, 29 June 1985, Haber & Bello 1747 (BM, MO); Upala, Bijagua El Pilón, camino al Rio Celeste, 10°42ʹ45ʺN, 84°59ʹ45ʺW, 700–800 m, 5 July 1988, Herrera 1985 (MO, CR); Upala, Colonia Libertad 2 km al noroeste, Cuenca del Río Cucaracho, 450 m, 6 May 1988, Herrera 1968 (MO, CR); Guanacaste: área de Conservación Guanacaste Estación Pitilla, La Cruz, 10°59ʹ26ʺN, 85°25ʹ40ʺW, 700 m, 11 September 1990, Moraga 51 (MO, CR); Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja Sendero a San Jorge, límite este, cabecera de Quebrada Tapezco, 10°45ʹ12ʺN, 85°17ʹ43ʺW, 770 m, 12 June 1991, Rivera 1371 (MO, CR). Heredia: Cantón de Sarapiquí Rara Avis, ca. 15km al suroeste de Horquetas, camino Levi, 10°17´N, 84°02´W, 400 m, 9 October 1989, Vargas 211 (MO, CR); Cantón de Sarapiquí, Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo Cord. V. Central, Río Peje; pastizal al sur de la Estación El Ceibo, 10°19ʹ45ʺN, 84°02ʹ10ʺW, 500m, 25 January 1990, Chávez 598 (MO, CR); Finca La Selva, the OTS Field Station on the Rio Puerto Viejo just E of its junction with Rio Sarapiqui, 100 m, 19 July 1996, Willbur 66221 (MO, DUKE); Finca La Selva, the OTS Field Station on the Rio Puerto Viejo just E of its junction with Rio Sarapiqui, hartshorn trail between Q. Saltito and steep rise to SW trail, 100 m, 2 August 1981, Hammel 11084 (MO, DUKE); Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo Estación el Ceibo, bosque entre la Estación y el margen izquierda del Rio Peje, 10°19ʹ45ʺN, 84°04ʹ50ʺW, 500 m, 26 January 1990, Chacón 687 (MO, CR); Limón: Lomas de Sierpe 5 km noreste de la Aurora, Guápiles, cerca del Río Sierpe, bosque secundario alternando con bosque primario, en terreno llano, 10°22ʹN, 83°31ʹW, 30 m, 08 December 1988, Robles 2242 (MO, CR); Palacios, ca. 13 km W of Tortuguero village, on farm of Marvin Jiménez , 10°30ʹN, 83°35ʹW, 10 m, 20 February 1998, Thomsen 1647 (MO, CPH); Puntarenas: Cantón de Golfito R. F. Golfo Dulce, serranias de Golfito, estación Rio Bonito, 08°41ʹ00ʺN, 83°13ʹ10ʺW, 100–200 m, 19 March 1997, Fletes 454 (MO, IBN, CR); forested foothills of the mountains east of Quepos, Pacific Slope of the Talamanca Range, 09°26ʹN, 84°03ʹW, 150–250 m, 19 February 1977, Burger et al. 10604 (MO); San José: Cantón de Turrubares. R. B. Carara; cuenca del Río Grande de Tárcoles, Puesto Carara , Río Carara, bosque secundario cerca al puesto, 09°46ʹ40ʺN, 84°32ʹ10ʺW, 200 m, 1 April 1989, Hammel et al. 18897 (MO, CR); San Isidro de El General, Pérez Zeledón, Fila Tinamaste, Finca de los suizos, 09°17ʹ54ʺN, 83°46ʹ20ʺW, 700 m, 14 October 1997, Valverde et al. 312 (MO, CR); Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo, Estación Carrillo, 28 July 1984, Zamora & Elizondo 675 (MO, CR). GUATEMALA. Alta Verapaz: Panzas, along Río Polochic SE of Telemán road to Finca Mercedes, floodplain, 65 m, 4 September 1988, Stevens et al. 25405 (MO). Izabal: 3km al S de Punta de Palma, Mpio. Pto. Barrios, 5 m, 9 September 1988, Martínez et al. 23604 (MO, MEXU). Petén: La Cumbre, in high forest east of km 139/140 of Cadenas road, 21 September 1960, Contreras 6175 (MO). HONDURAS. Atlántida: mountains slopes and coastal plants, vicinity of LaCeiba, 23 July 1938, Yuncker et al 8603 (MO). Santa Bárbara: Tiquitapa, near Quimistán, 3 August 1951, Howard et al. 560 (BM). MÉXICO. Chiapas: Mpio. Ocosingo, En El Tumbo sobre el camino Chancala–Monte Líbano, 700 m, 15 June 1986, Martínez & Soto 18642 (MO); Mpio. Ocosingo, Guerrero a 100 km al SE de Palenque camino 350 m, 27 June 1986, Martínez 19046 (MO). Veracruz, municipio Hidalgotitlán, Río Soloxuchi entre Hermanos Cedillo y la Escuadra, Brigada Vazquez 915 (XAL, MEXU); Municipio Minatitlán, T. Wendt et al. 4870 (XAL); Municipio Hidalgotitlán, Hermanos Cedillo/La Escuadra por el Río Soloxuchil, M. Vazquez et al. 948 (XAL). NICARAGUA. Chontales: cerro Oluma, remnant wet premontane forest near top of Cordillera Amerisque, 12°18ʹN, 85°24ʹW, 840 m, January 1984, Stevens et al. 43865 (MO); Río San Juan: between Río Santa Cruz and Cañón Santa Crucita, La Palma, 11°2–4ʹN, 84°24–26ʹW, 40–60 m, 30 November–2 December 1984, Stevens 23420 (MO); Reserva Indio-Maíz, Municipio de El Castillo, a 5 km de la cabecera del Río Bartola, en dirección hacia el Cerro el Diablo, 11°01ʹN, 84°14ʹW, 100 m, 2 January 1997, Rueda et al. 5252 (MO, UNAN); Reserva Indio-Maíz, Municipio de El Castillo a lo largo del Cañón Chontaleño, 11°09ʹN, 84°10ʹW, 10 Junuary 1997, Rueda et al. 6197 (MO, UNAM); Rivas: Isla Ometepe, in Lago Nicaragua Volcán Maderas, north slope, Finca Argentina, coffee planctation, 600 m, 23 February 1978, Neill & Vincelli 3230 (MO); Isla Ometepe-Mérida, 11°27ʹN, 85°32ʹW, 700–800 m, 25 April 1984, Robleto 330 (MO, HNMN); Isla Ometepe, Volcán Maderas, cafetal “Las Cuchillas”, 11°28–29ʹN, 85°29–30ʹW, 200–300 m, 23 September 1984, Robleto 1243 (MO, HNMN); slopes of Volcán Maderas, above Balgüe, Isla Ometepe, 11°27ʹN, 85°31ʹW, 600–800 m, 15 September 1983, M. Nee & W. Robleto 28121 (MO). Zelaya: loc. Río Punta Gorda, en el Caño El Guineo, 11 November 1981, Tellez et al. 4905 (MO); 3 km N of RAMA, 10December 1968, Hamblett 292 (MO); along Cañón Majagua, 13°45ʹN, 85°00ʹ01ʺW, 750–850 m, 10–11 March 1978, Stevens & Krukoff 6897 (MO); El Zapote, 6 km S de Colonia Verdún, 11°34ʹN, 84°24ʹW, 250–300 m, 17 August 1983, Sandino 4482 (MO, HNMN); municipio de Siuna, Comarca Ulí abajo, Alfaro, 100–200 m, 06 January 1982, Ortíz 541 (MO, HNMN); Reserva Bosawas, Municipio de Bónanza, a lo largo del, río Pispis, entre la desembocadura del río Kuabul y la presa hidroeléctrica Salto Grande, 11°01ʹN, 84°37ʹW, 23 January 1996, Rueda et al. 4027 (MO, UNAN); Río Punta Gorda, Atlanta, 2 km al S de Carolina del Sur, 11°32ʹN, 84°01ʹW, 60 m, 11 November 1981, Moreno & Sandino 12882 (MO); SW of Bluefields, from cemetery along road to new airstrip, 11°59ʹN, 83°46ʹW, 10–40 m, 2–3 April 1981, Stevens & Krukoff 19816 (MO). PANAMA. Bocas del Toro, Changuinola valley, 24 August 1923, V.C. Dunlap 181 (BM); Coclé: 7 km north of El Cope, near Rivera Sawmill , 700–850 m, 10 September 1977, Folson 5241 (MO); cerro Pilon, 2900 ft, spring ʹ68, B. Lallathin 18 – 1 (MO); Panamá: 5–10 km NE of Altos de Pacora, 750 m, 6 March 1975, Mori & Kallunki 4942 (MO); high point of ridges S of Ipetí, 5–6 hours walk from Chocó Village, Serranía de Maje, 08°45ʹN, 77°30ʹW, 650–800 m, 31 March 1982, Knapp et al. 4522 (MO).

Figures

FIGURE 20. A. Specimen of Coccoloba tuerckheimii (W.D. Stevens et al. 25404, MO); B. Portion of inflorescence and pedicels; C. Acrosarcum lateral view; D. Acrosarcum polar view; E. Achene lateral view; F. Achene polar view; G. Geographical distribution.