472 pittier: caesalpiniaceous trees of panama 



Peltogyne purpurea, called nazareno or morado by the natives of 

 Panama, is one of the most remarkable trees of the forest in the districts 

 with a well defined dry period. It grows preferably on ridges free of 

 higher vegetation. The height of a full grown tree is seldom less than 

 25 meters and the trunk reaches up to 60 cm. in diameter. The tree is 

 evidently deciduous, as only very young leaves, with the stipules still 

 attached, were found near Yaviza. But at Punta Patino, a few days 

 later, there were individuals with the old leaves and pods still on, and 

 others with young shoots and leaves only. 



One of the peculiarities of the morado tree is that the seed remains 

 hanging from the dehiscent pod by the hilum after maturity, 

 probably until the rainy season sets in. This curious habit, which 

 has been observed also in Peltogyne congestiflora Benth., of Brazil, 

 may be considered as a means of protection against ants and other 

 insects, or the extreme dryness of the soil. On the tree, however, the 

 seeds are not immune from attacks, as I found many of them inhabited 

 by a coleopterous insect. 



The Avood of Peltogyne is very hard, the sapwood white and little 

 developed, and the heartwood of a beautiful purple color. 



Dimorphandra megistosperma Pittier, sp. nov., ramis teretibus, 

 verruculosis, brunneis, glabris; foliis exstipulatis, glaberrimis, petiolo 

 communi infra foliola inferiora anguloso, superne piano, subtus tereti; 

 foliolis bijugis, oppositis, coriaceis, breve petiolulatis, oblongo-acumi- 

 natis, basi plus minusve inaequilateralibus, apice obtusis, supra nitidis, 

 infra glaucis; floribus sessilibus, densissime spicatis, spicis terminali- 

 bus vel subterminalibus; calyce glabro, lobulis rotundatis, ciliatis; 

 petalis oblongis, calyce subduplo longioribus, basi attenuatis, apice 

 rotundatis plus minusve irregulariter emarginatis, margine scarioso 

 ciliato; staminibus fertilibus corolla longioribus, filamentis crassis, 

 leviter attenuatis, antheris apicem antice lanoso-barbatis, demum 

 glabrescentibus; pistillo staminibus subaequante, stipitato, ovario 

 3-ovulato, dense lanoso, stylo glabro; legumine 1-spermo, glabro, cori- 

 aceo, dehiscente; semine maximo, extus brunneo, nitido. 



Arbor excelsa, 15^5 m. alta, trunco erecto 10-15 m. longo, usque 

 ad 1 m. diametro, cortice nigrescente, coma elongata. Rhachis foli- 

 orum 5-9.5 cm. longa, parte infra foliola inferiora 2.5-5 cm.; petioluli 

 3-4 mm. longi, incrassati; foliola 10-18 cm. longa, 4.5-7 cm. lata, 

 reticulato-venosa. Spicae floriferae 8-10 cm. longae; calycis lobi 

 inaequales, 3.5-4 mm. longi; petala alba, 6 mm. longa, 2.5-3 mm. lata; 

 stamina et staminodia 7-8 mm. longa. Legumen usque ad 25 cm. 

 longum, 13 cm. latum, leviter depressum. Semen phaseoliforme, 

 usque ad 18 cm. longum, 12 cm. latum. 



Type in U. S. National Herbarium, no. 716,658. 



