Guarea kunthiana

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Guarea kunthiana var. densiflora
• Guarea kunthiana var. hahnii
• Guarea kunthiana var. hahniana
• Guarea megaphylla
• Guarea pohlii
• Guarea steinbachii
• Guarea williamsii
• Guarea oblongiflora
• Guarea macrantha
• Guarea membranacea
• Guarea pohlii var. glabra
• Guarea pohlii var. glabrior
• Guarea simplicifolia
• Guarea grandifoliola
• Guarea glauca
• Guarea depauperata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales, it is classified under the family Meliaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Guarea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several tropical regions. In Central America, its presence is documented in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panamá. Moving toward the Caribbean, it can be found inhabiting the Windward Islands. Furthermore, its range extends into Northern South America, specifically within French Guiana. Together, these locations highlight the diverse geographical spread of the species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Guarea kunthiana is characterized by its ability to inhabit a diverse array of tropical forest environments, including Floresta Ciliar or Galeria, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea, and Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial). This species demonstrates significant adaptability to varying topographical gradients, maintaining an expansive elevational range that extends from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2850 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2850 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Guarea kunthiana is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem over many years through continuous growth and development. As an evergreen plant, it maintains its foliage throughout the year, providing a constant canopy that does not undergo a seasonal shedding period. This combination of a long-lived life cycle and persistent greenery enables the plant to maintain stable ecological roles within its habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Guarea kunthiana is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree, which is capable of reaching a substantial plant height. On average, the species grows to a height of 20 m, though it can reach a maximum height of up to 40 m. It is a terrestrial organism, existing independently without being an epiphyte or a parasite. Unlike climbing species such as lianas or vines, this plant is strictly self-supporting in its structural habit.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

40 m

Plant height mean:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Guarea kunthiana is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency under typical environmental conditions. Unlike plants that utilize C4 or CAM mechanisms to mitigate photorespiration, this species relies on the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide via the enzyme RuBisCO within the mesophyll cells. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (such as rhizobia) required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates or ammonium from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Guarhea kunthiana is characterized by the production of fruits classified as "other" types, which maintain an average length of 1.6 cm and an average width of 1.4 cm. The seeds produced by this species are relatively consistent in their physical properties, possessing a uniform mass of 0.2 g (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 0.2 g) and a constant volume of 270 mm³. In terms of dimensions, the seeds exhibit a minimum length of 6 mm and can reach a maximum length of 15 mm. The dispersal of these seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, indicating that they are primarily spread by animals, which plays a critical role in the plant's reproductive cycle and distribution within its habitat.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit length mean:

1.6 cm

Fruit type :

other

Fruit width mean:

1.4 cm

Seed length max:

15 mm

Seed length min:

6 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.2 g

Seed volume max:

270 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Guarea kunthiana has 2 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiprotozoal, Larvicide.

Antiprotozoal

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Larvicide

1. Experimental parasitology

Conditions

Guarea kunthiana has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Leishmania donovani, ecdysis, oogenesis.

Leishmania donovani

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Ecdysis

1. Experimental parasitology

Oogenesis

1. Experimental parasitology