Handroanthus chrysanthus

Handroanthus chrysanthus or Tabebuia chrysantha is a species of the family Bignoniaceae, also known by the names of 'Araguaney', 'Yellow guayacán', 'Yellow cortés', 'yellow flower' 'guayacán', 'shoe', &# 39;sapito', 'yellow oak', 'yellow lapacho', &# 39;cañahuate' and 'tajibo', is native to the dry forests of the American intertropical zone. It is a tree famous for its flowers of an intense yellow color, due to its ornamental value and presence it was declared the national tree of Venezuela in 1948.

Description

It is a tree that reaches up to 5 m high or more; The trunk can have a diameter of up to 60 cm, it is deciduous (which loses its leaves in drought conditions), with few thick and ascending branches; straight stem. The bark is rough, gray to dark brown in color, has deep, vertical cracks and forms wide dark brown plates. Large, deep roots, opposite leaves, with 5 leaflets, 5 to 25 cm long and from 8 to 20 cm wide.

Its campanulate flowers (bell-shaped), large, in groups of inflorescences, 5 to 12 cm long, light yellow in color, very showy with red lines on the neck. The fruits are narrow, cylindrical capsules, 11 to 35 cm long and 0.6 to 2 cm wide, dehiscent (opening spontaneously at maturity). Seeds winged, flattened, 1.5 to 2 cm long and 1 cm wide, silver gray in color.

Distribution and habitat

It is located in an altitudinal range that goes from sea level to 1700 m above sea level. n. m., with annual rainfall of 1500 to 3000 mm and temperatures of 18 to 23°. It prefers soils with a loamy to sandy loam texture with good internal and external drainage and a pH of 6 to 8.5. The species is native of Tropical America from Mexico through Central America to Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Northern Peru.

The araguaney grows in the tropic forests of the Venezuelan plains, in areas of Aw and even BS (intertropical semi-arid) climate according to the Köppen climate classification, in the semi-arid areas of northern Venezuela, as well as other American countries.

Ecology

Slow-growing, long-lived plant that spreads by seeds, flowers between January and April, and bears fruit between February and June. If the rainy season is delayed, it can flower again and bear fruit at a lower intensity to ensure its reproduction.. In Ecuador the upwelling occurs at the end of the dry season from the end of October to December. It is pollinated by birds and insects, and spreads anemochory (wind) and zoochory (animals).

Taxonomy

Handroanthus chrysanthus was described by (Jacq.) S.O.Grose and published in Systematic Botany 32(3): 664. 2007.

Etymology

Handroanthus: genus created by J.R. Mattos in 1970 to differentiate part of the species of the genus Tabebuia. The name Handroanthus was in honor of the Brazilian botanist Oswaldo Handro (1908-1986).

chrysanthus: Latin epithet that means ('with golden flowers').

The common name Araguaney comes from the Caribbean arevenei, while guayacán comes from the Taino waiacan.

Varieties

• Handroanthus chrysanthus subsp. suris (A.H.Gentry) S.O.Grose
• Handroanthus chrysanthus subsp. pluvial (A.H.Gentry) S.O.Grose

Sinonimia

• Bignonia chrysantha Jacq.
• Handroanthus chrysanthus subsp. chrysanthus
• Tabebuia chrysantha (Jacq.) G.Nicholson
• Tabebuia rufescens J.R.Johnst.
• Tecoma chrysantha (Jacq.) DC.
• Tecoma evenia Donn.Sm.
• Tecoma palmeri Kraenzl.

subsp. southernis (A.H.Gentry) S.O.Grose

• Tabebuia chrysantha subsp. suris A.H.Gentry
• Tabebuia spectabilis (Planch. & Linden) G.Nicholson
• Tecoma chrysantha subsp. suris A.H.Gentry
• Tecoma spectabilis Planch. " Linden

Relationship with human beings

Its wood is considered one of the hardest and heaviest in the neotropics. It is difficult to plan and cut, durable and very resistant to termites and salt water. It is used in furniture constructions, car bodies, floors for industrial use, sleepers, fine crafts. It is used as an ornamental plant in parks, gardens, squares and avenues, it has also been used in urban arboriculture, decorative living fences, for shade and beautification of farms. It is an excellent honey-bearing species, and this plant is considered a threatened species. There is no extensive medical evidence about its uses, however it is traditionally used to treat arthritis, malaria and as a purifier. blood.

Common names

The tree is known as araguaney in Venezuela, guayacán in Ecuador, Peru and Panama, yellow guayacán or canahuate in Colombia, yellow lapacho in Argentina and Paraguay, and tajibo in Bolivia. One of its synonyms "yellow flower" #3. 4; It is the eponym of a town located in the city of Valencia (Venezuela), Carabobo state, Venezuela; given that they were abundant in said sector.^{[citation required]}