Coccoloba belizensis Standl., Trop. Woods

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 : 113

1. Coccoloba belizensis Standl., Trop. Woods 16: 38. 1928 ( Figs. 4A–F ).

Type:— BELIZE: Tipperary road to Silk Grass, Stann Creek Valley, August 1927, Stevenson 7 (holotype F!, isotypes NY!, US!, WIS!). Epitype (designated by Ortiz-Díaz & Ancona 2024: 86):— BELIZE. Toledo: in broken ridge, Joe Taylor Creek, 7 September 1951, Gentle

7430 ( MO!).

Description:—Trees hermaphrodites, functionally unisexual, 15–30 m; branches glabrous; ochrea 1–4 cm long, forming a spatulate capsule at the apex, densely hirtellous with brown trichomes, breaking irregularly. Leaves with petiole 15–30(–50) × 3–8 mm, striate, densely hirtellous with brown trichomes, arising at the base of the ocrea; leaf blades (11–)16–30(–50) × 7.6–14(–30) cm, broadly elliptic to oblong or broadly ovate, coriaceous or chartaceous, glabrous and shiny on adaxial surface, abaxially glabrous to sparsely puberulent on veins, margin entire, revolute, apex obtuse, rounded to slightly acuminate, base obtuse to rounded or subcordate;, margin entire, revolute, apex obtuse, rounded to slightly acuminate, base obtuse to rounded or subcordate; venation brochidodromous and reticulate, 9–11 pairs of primary nerves. Inflorescence spiciform, arranged in a large sympodial panicle, branches>5, main axis reduced, 1–2 cm long, striate, pulverulent; spiciform portion 10–22 cm long, rachis 1.5–3 mm diameter, striate, pulverulent; bracteole 1 mm long, puberulent to strigose; ochreola 1 mm long, tubular, trilobed, membranaceous, hirtellous; pedicel in flower 0.5–1 mm long, pedicel in fruit 1 mm long, thicker, pulverulent. Flowers functionally male 2–3(–5) per fascicle, 2.2–2.5 mm; hypanthium 0.7–1 mm long, hirtellous; tepals 1.2–1.5 mm long, hirtellous to pulverulent; stamens 8, 1.5–2 mm long, filaments filiform 1 mm long, anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long; ovary 0.8 mm long, trigonous, glabrous, style 3, 0.5 mm long; flowers functionally female flower 2.5–3mm; hypanthium 1.7–2 mm long, hirtellous; tepals 1.2–1.5 mm, hirtellous to pulverulent; stamens 8, 1–1.2 mm, filaments filiform 0.5–0.8 mm, anthers 0.5 mm; ovary 1.5–2 mm, trigonous, glabrous, style 3, 0.8–1 mm long. Fruits 6–7 mm × 5–6 mm, globose, hirtellous at base when young, glabrous when mature, apex rounded to obtuse, base rounded, abruptly contracted at junction with pedicel; hypanthium almost completely enclosing achene, tepals papyraceous, appressed at the apex cuspidate of the achene; achene 5.7–7 × 4.9–5.9 mm, subglobose, base rounded, apex slightly cuspidate, umbonate, slightly prominent, brown, smooth, glossy, base of apex cuspidate 8-lobed.

Etymology: — The specific epithet for this species refers to Belize, the country where the type specimen was collected.

Phenology: — Flowering from April to August; fruiting from August to December.

Distribution and ecology: — Coccoloba belizensis is distributed from Mexico (Quintana Roo and Chiapas), Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua ( Fig. 4G ). It inhabits rain tropical forests and savannas with Pinus caribaea Morelet , from sea level to 300 m. In the map in Fig. 4G it can be observed that C. belizensis presents a disjunct distribution. Apparently, the Chiapas Highlands province (sensu Morrone 2017) is playing a very important role in the isolation of the populations.

Provisional conservation status: — The EOO is 279, 000 km 2, within the threshold for Least Concern (LC) status under subcriterion B1, and the AOO is estimated as 248 km 2, which is below the threshold for Endangered (EN) status under subcriterion B2. There are 67 known occurrences of C. belizensis representing more than 30 subpopulations. Most of the occurrences are located outside of protected natural areas, therefore their populations are threatened by fragmentation and quality, generated by anthropogenic actions such as agriculture, livestock and urban growth. Only 11 occurrences of 5 subpopulations are located within protected natural areas. In Belize, one subpopulation with 4 occurrences is located in the Nojkaaxmeen Eligio Panti National Park, another subpopulation with one occurrence is located in the Manatee National Reserve, and another subpopulation with four occurrences is located within the Mountain Pine Ridge and Chiquibul National Reserves. In Nicaragua, one subpopulation with two occurrences is located in the Blanca Janeth Kawas Fernández National Park. 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. belizensis is assigned a preliminary status of Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].

Specimens examined:— BELIZE. Belize: Honey Camp, Nov. 1929, Lundell 637 (MO). Cayo: mile 35 on western highway between Belize and Belmopan, 21 June 1973, Gentry 8420 (MO); Mt. Pine Ridge, transition zone 5 mi N of Blancaneau, 600 m, R. Liesner & Dwyer 1565 (MO); Río Frio Caves , near Augustine, 2 September 1970, McDaniel 14474 (MO). Toledo: Río Mojo, 8 August 1975, Dwyer & Goomes 12950 (MO); cerca de Jenkins Creek, al N de Monkey River, 23 August 1942, Gentle 4080 (MO). GUATEMALA. Izabal: Puerto Méndez, 18 August 1969, Contreras 8978 (MO); Río Juan Vicente watershed tributary to Río Dulce, Simpson Forest plantation, 5–10 km SE of Lake Izabal and town of Río Dulce, E side of the highway N of the village of Buenos Aires, 15°36’08”N 088°55’20”W, 80 m, 13 May 1999, Rotenberg 61 (UCR, MO). Petén: La Cumbre, at km 158 of Cadenas Road, 16 August 1969, Contreras 8955 (MO); Cadenas, km 169 of Poptun Road, 14 September 1969, Contreras 9167 (MO). HONDURAS. Atlántida: Tela, orilla NO de la Laguna El Diamante, punta Sal, 5 December 1983, Soto 259 (MO); Tela, Vicinity of Tela, 14 December 1927 - 15 March 1928, Standley 53042 ( US); Tela, Lancetilla Valley, near Tela, 6 December 1927 – 20 March 1928, Standley 53555 ( US); Lancetilla Valley, 29 July 1951, Howard et al. 451 ( US); Puerto Escondido, 25 km O de Tela, 13–16 July 1982, Soto & Espinal 247 (MEXU, MO). Jardín Botánico de Lancetilla, 100–150 m, 8 June 1985, Tellez & Martínez 8803 (MEXU; MO). MEXICO. Chiapas: Municipality Ocosingo, 1.46 km del centro de Frontera Corozal al SO, 16°48’12.2”N 90°53’27.2”W, 123 m, 2 June 2004, Aguilar et al. 10288 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, 1.80 km del centro de Frontera Corozal al SO, 16°47’53.5”N 90°52’59”W, 128 m, 2 June 2004, Aguilar & Méndez 10409 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, 1.47 km del centro de Frontera Corozal, 19 November 2004, Aguilar 12607 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, zona arqueológica de Yaxchilán, 16°53’53.6”N 90°57’52.5”W, 130 m, 20 June 1998, Valle AVD-195 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, 15 km al NW de Boca Lactún, camino a Palenque, 220 m, Martínez 13800 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, en el campamento COFOLASA a 24 km al Sede el Crucero Corozal, 220 m, 7 December 1984, Martínez 9287 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, 15 km al NW de Boca Lactún, camino a Palenque, 220 m, Martínez & Soto 18579 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, en Zona Marqués de Comillas, a 3 km al SE del ejido Benemérito de las Américas, 160 m, 14 August 1984, Martínez 7181 (MEXU). Municipality Ocosingo, Frontera Corozal, conglomerado 73876 del Inventario Nacional Forestal y de Suelo, 159 m, 17 August 2011, Gómez HGD 2949 (MEXU). Quintana Roo: Municipality Othón P. Blanco, a 6.27 km al O de el Palmar, 18°26’40”N 88°34’49”W, 55 m, 22 May 2007, Martínez & Pimentel 39901 (MEXU). Municipality Othón P. Blanco, Conglomerado 65998 del Inventario Nacional Forestal y de Suelos, 23 m, 28 August 2008, Sinaca PSC 142 (MEXU). A 28 km al sur de Botes, sobre la carretera a La Unión, 5 July 1982, Cabrera et al. 2612 (MEXU). A 6 km de la carretera Chetumal- Escárcega, sobre brecha al Ingenio Álvaro Obregón, 5 July 1980, Téllez & Carera 2633 (MEXU). A 6km al norte de Ingeniero Álvaro Obregón, 6 September 1980, Téllez et al. 3449 (MEXU, MO). NICARAGUA. Chontales: near Rio Oyate, between Acoyapanmand Morrito, 11°44’N 84°59’W, 50 m, 27 June 1983, Stevens 21637 (MO). Rio San Juan: 10 km SE de San Miguelito, sobre la carretera a San Carlos, 50–60, 11 December 1984, Sandino 5022 (MO). 5 km SE of Río Oyate, 11°42’N, 84°57’W, 40 m, 28 August 1983, Nee & Miller 27593 (MO). Zelaya: Prinzapolka, costal scrub, 23 June 1978, Neill 4570 (MO). 3 km west of Kuikuinita, 120 m, 24 May 1978, Neill 4181 (MO).

Figures

FIGURE 4. A. Specimen of Coccoloba belizensis (E. Contreras 8955, US); B. Portion of inflorescence and fruit; C. Acrosarcum lateral view; D. Acrosarcum polar view; E. Achene lateral view; F.Achene polar view; G. Distribution model.