Weinmannia pinnata

Weinmannia pinnata, commonly known as the bastard briziletto,^[2] is a species of tree in the family Cunoniaceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, South America and the West Indies.^[1][3] It typically grows in wet habitats at high elevations, and is one of the species found in dwarf forests perpetually wreathed in clouds.

Weinmannia pinnata
Leaves and inflorescences
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Oxalidales
Family:	Cunoniaceae
Genus:	Weinmannia
Species:	W. pinnata
Binomial name
Weinmannia pinnata L.

Description

Weinmannia pinnata is a large shrub some 2 to 4 m (7 to 13 ft) tall which sometimes grows into a small tree. The trunk can reach 30 cm (12 in) in diameter and the bark exudes an astringent gum.^[4] The pinnate leaves are up to 10 cm (4 in) long and are stalkless. They are arranged in opposite pairs and have a winged midrib. The nine to twenty leaflets are oval, have serrated margins and rusty-brown hairs on the underside. The small flowers are in 10 cm (4 in) spikes similar to those of the bottlebrush; the buds are tinged pink and the flowers are white with pink centres. The fruits are dry and red, and divided in two parts. They are tipped by the remains of the long style.^[5]

Distribution and habitat

In South America the species' range includes Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador and in Central America it ranges from Panama to Guatemala. It is also native to Mexico. In the Caribbean it is present on the arc of islands from Cuba to St Lucia.^[1] It grows in wet mountain forests; in Guatemala its elevation range is 2,000 to 3,100 m (6,600 to 10,200 ft).^[4] Along with Prestoea montana, Brunellia comocladifolia and Podocarpus coriaceus, it is present in the wet cloud forests on the ridges and summits of the Sierra de Luquillo mountains in Puerto Rico.^[6]

References

1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Weinmannia pinnata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T144318296A149032910. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T144318296A149032910.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. "Weinmannia pinnata: bastard briziletto". Discover Life. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
3. Grandtner, M. M.; Chevrette, Julien (2013). Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press. p. 703. ISBN 9780123969545.
4. Fern, K. "Weinmannia pinnata". Useful tropical plants. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
5. Gargiullo, Margaret (2008). A Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica. Oxford University Press. pp. 275–276. ISBN 978-0-19-988492-6.
6. Gannon, Michael R.; Kurta, Allen; Rodriguez-Duran, Armando (2005). Bats of Puerto Rico: An Island Focus and a Caribbean Perspective. Texas Tech University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-89672-551-5.