Guarea bullata

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of habitats across North and Central America. In Mexico, it can be found spanning from the Gulf region to the Southwest. Its presence extends further south into the tropical landscapes of Central America. Specifically, the species is documented within the borders of El Salvador and Honduras. Finally, its geographical reach includes the lush environments of Costa Rica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Morphology

The morphology of Guarea bullata is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, reaching a maximum plant height of approximately 17 meters. As a self-supporting organism, it does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, maintaining an independent life cycle. It is a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, and it does not grow as an epiphyte. Its structural integrity is defined by its woody composition, which supports its development as a substantial tree within its habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

17 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Guarea bullata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic approach to carbon fixation and energy production. Regarding its biomass allocation and structural integrity, the species exhibits a consistent leaf dry matter content (LDMC) with a recorded mean, minimum, and maximum value of 378.1 mg/g. This uniform LDMC value suggests a highly stable leaf density and nutritional investment within its foliage, reflecting a specific physiological adaptation to its environmental niche.

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

378.1 mg/g

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Guarrea bullata is characterized by the production of specialized seeds that serve as the primary mechanism for dispersal and propagation. The reproductive cycle culminates in the development of seeds that exhibit significant morphological variation in size; specifically, the seed length ranges from a minimum of 15 mm to a maximum of 30 mm. These seeds are typically housed within fleshy fruits, which play a crucial role in attracting biotic dispersal agents to facilitate the spread of the species across its natural habitat. Once released, the seeds rely on these environmental and biological interactions to reach suitable substrates for germination, where the varying dimensions of the seeds may influence their initial nutrient reserves and establishment success.

Seed length max:

30 mm

Seed length min:

15 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Guarea bullata has 5 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, fruit, leaf, root, stem.

Flower

1. Revista de biologia tropical

Fruit

1. Revista de biologia tropical

Leaf

1. Revista de biologia tropical

Root

1. Revista de biologia tropical

Stem

1. Revista de biologia tropical