Curatella americana L.

Raspa guacal

(Dilleniaceae)

Masis, A., Espinoza, R., Perez, D., Guadamuz, A. and Chavarría, F. 1998. Curatella americana (Dilleniaceae) Species Page. 20 January 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Shrub up to 3-4 (5) tall.

Flower:

Inflorescence an axillary panicle. Petals 4, white, reflexed (hanging down). Stamens many. Pistils 2, light green. Sepals 4, light green.

 

Panicle

Individual flower, lateral

 

Flower buds

Flowers at the beginning of the dry season. Flowers have a sweet smell. Bees can be observed visiting the flowers and are assumed to be pollinators

Fruits:

The inmature fruits are green and pubescent.

 

Inmature fruits

 

Cross section

Usually the fruits are bi-lobed and have 4 dehiscent valves, 4.8- mm in length; 1 (2) seeds per carpel (González 1997).

Mature open fruit

Open mature fruit showing the aril

 

Inflorescnece

Leaves:

The upper surface is dark green, under surface light green. Rough to the touch on both sides. Simple alternate leafs, ovate, undulate margin. About 20-26 cm long.

 

Upper surface

 

Young leaf

 

Close up of the upper surface

 

Close up of the under surface

Leaf arrangement

The petiole is about 3-4 cm long.

Bark and wood:

The bark is light brown and scaly. Wood is cream color.

Bark

 

Trunk cross section

Whole plant architecture:

 

Habit

Similar species:

Tetracera, Doliocarpus and Davilla kunthii (Dilleniaceae) are woody lianas which leaves might look like those of Curatella americana.

Verification:

II.Gepgraphic distribution:

International:

In Costa Rica

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

Curatella americana and Byrsonima crassifolia are the two most common shrubs and trees in the open savannas and highly altered semideciduous and deciduous lowland habitats.

 Mapa de macro-habitats del ACG

III. Natural history:

It is a fire resistant species. Since it is exposed to fires, its common to find twisted and highly branched individuals.

IV. How to find:

It is very common along the Interamerican highyway and in old pastures and savannas in various degrees of regeneration.

Acknowledgments:

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Literature cited:

González. J. 1997. Dilleniaceae. Manual de Flora de Costa Rica. En preparación.