Balsam trees
| Balsam trees | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Illustration of Myroxylon balsamum |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Myroxylon | ||||||||||||
| Lf |
The balsam trees ( Myroxylon ) are a genus of plants from the subfamily of the butterflies (Faboideae). There are only two accepted species in the genus, both common in Central and South America and introduced in Sri Lanka , Indonesia and Fiji and other Pacific states. They are not to be confused with the genus balsam trees (Burseraceae).
description
Vegetative characteristics
The balsam trees grow as evergreen trees and reach heights of up to 25-30 meters or more. The bark is dark gray to orange-brownish, sometimes with lots of lenticels , the trunk diameter can be up to one meter. The trunks carry a pleasant smelling balm .
The up to 20 cm long, stalked, dull or shiny leaves are alternately pinnate, with short stalked 5 to 15 leaflets . The leaflets are pinnate and ovate to obovate or elliptical, 5–10 cm long and 2–5 cm wide, they are more or less hairy and pointed to pointed, rounded at the base to blunt or wedge-shaped to slightly heart-shaped, sometimes uneven . The lamina is partly spotted, spotted and striped. Rachis and stalks are rust-colored, hairy downy. There are falling stipules .
Generative characteristics
The hermaphroditic flowers are arranged in lateral or terminal racemose inflorescences, with rust-colored hairy inflorescence and flower stalks. The five petals are white and sit inside the calyx. The uppermost, rounded petal is much larger (flag) and is divided into nail and plate , the others are small and narrow, obscure-eilanzettlich, partly with silky hair on the edge. The outer, fine-haired calyx is bell-shaped and either pointed, five-lobed or wavy, it has sloping bracts or none. The ten stamens attached to the calyx are more or less protruding with yellow, pointed to pointed (beaked), subbasifix, elongated anthers. The elongated, single and upper ovary is more or less petiolate. The short pen has a small scar kopfige.
The stalked, 6 to 12 cm long, up to 3 cm wide and 1.5 cm thick, elongated, brownish wing nuts with lateral, ventrally wider, wings, contain at the thickened, rounded and pointed tip only one, smooth or rough-shelled, bean- , kidney-shaped and brown-red seeds. There may be a perennial wrapper or a perennial calyx.
The seeds without nutrient tissue have on the outside, on both sides, on each side a small balsam container that later dries out resinous. The seeds are about 10-30 mm long, 7-10 mm wide and 7-8.5 mm thick. The thousand grain mass is around 280-580 grams.
Systematics and use
The genus Myroxylon belongs to the tribe Sophoreae in the subfamily of the butterflies (Faboideae) within the family of the legumes (Fabaceae). A synonym for Myroxylon L. f. is Toluifera L.
The two myroxylon styles are because of their wood ( Cabreúva ) and its balm ( Tolu , balsam of Peru estimated).
There are only two valid species in the genus Myroxylon :
- Myroxylon balsamum ( L. ) Harms ; (Since the latest revision in 2015, there are no more varieties): It comes from northeastern South America, Colombia , Ecuador , Venezuela to Central and Central America and Brazil .
- Myroxylon peruiferum L. f. (Syn .: Toluifera peruifera Baill. ): It comes from Brazil, Bolivia , Colombia, Peru and northwestern Argentina and is the “supplier” of a balm similar to the tolu balm.
In the past, Myroxylon balsamum used to distinguish between the types of balm that provide balsam , each with a large number of synonyms:
- Myroxylon balsamum var. Balsamum : "supplier" of the tolu balsam.
- Myroxylon balsamum var. Pereirae ( Royle ) Harms : "supplier" of the Peru balsam.
Not to be confused with the genus Myroxylon are:
- the genus Myrospermum Jacq. - Legumes (Fabaceae)
- the genus amyris P.Browne - Rutaceae called (Rutaceae), also ointment or balsam tree plant
- Genera of the balsam tree family (Burseraceae). Species of the following genera are particularly designated as balsam trees:
- Bursera Jacq. ex L. , e.g. B. Bursera graveolens (Palo Santo)
- Commiphora Jacq. , today including Balsamodendron or Balsamodendrum Kunth (also: Balsamea Gled. )
literature
- Myroxylon L. fil. . In: Meyers Konversations-Lexikon . 4th edition. Volume 11, Verlag des Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig / Vienna 1885–1892, p. 954.
- Otto C. Berg , CF Schmidt: Representation and description of all the officinal plants listed in the Pharmacopoea Borussica. 4th volume, Forstner, 1863, T. XXIX e., Limited preview in the Google book search.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Â. LB Sartori, GP Lewis, V. de Freitas Mansano et al .: A revision of the genus Myroxylon (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae). In: Kew Bulletin. 70 (4), 2015, doi : 10.1007 / s12225-015-9604-7 .
- ↑ Otto C. Berg, CF Schmidt:
- ↑ USDA Plant Database Myroxylon balsamum , Myroxylon balsamum var.pereirae , accessed February 2, 2018.
- ↑ Joseph H. Kirkbride, Charles R. Gunn, Anna L. Weitzman: Fruits and seeds of genera in the subfamily Faboideae (Fabaceae). Vol. 1, USDA, Tech. Bulletin 1890, 2003, p. 132 f, online (PDF; 1.4 MB), at ars.usda.gov, accessed on February 2, 2018.
- ^ Myroxylon in the Seed Information Database, Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, accessed February 2, 2018.
- ↑ a b Entry in GRIN Taxonomy for Plants .