Cecropia telenitida

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cecropia angelica
• Cecropia teleincana
• Cecropia telenivea
• Cecropia telealbida
• Cecropia santanderensis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Rosales, it is classified under the family Urticaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Cecropia, specifically as the species Cecropia telenitida.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the tropical regions of South America. In the northern part of the continent, it can be found growing in Venezuela. Moving toward the western side of the continent, the species is also well-established in Colombia. Its presence continues through the western landscape into the nation of Ecuador. Finally, the distribution extends further south along the western coast to include Peru.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cecropia telenitida is defined by its niche within montane forest ecosystems, where it occupies a specific altitudinal belt. This species thrives within an elevational range that begins at 1200 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 2620 m AMSL. Within this vertical distribution, the plant plays a critical role in forest dynamics, often functioning as a pioneer species that responds to canopy gaps, facilitating subsequent successional stages. Its presence is closely tied to the moisture and temperature regimes characteristic of these mid-to-high elevation tropical montane environments, where it competes for light and contributes to the rapid turnover of biomass in the forest structure.

Elevational range max:

2620 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1200 m AMSL

Morphology

The morphology of Cecropia telenitida is characterized by a woody growth form, functioning as a self-supporting tree that reaches a maximum plant height of approximately 20 m. It is a terrestrial species, neither aquatic nor semiaquatic, and it grows as an independent organism rather than a parasite. As a self-supporting tree, it does not exhibit climbing habits such as a liana or vine, nor does it function as an epiphyte (whether holoepiphyte, hemiepiphyte, or facultative), maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Cecropia telenitida has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include oleanane, ursane.

oleanane

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

ursane

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)