Guaiacum angustifolium

Engelmann in F. A. Wislizenus

Mem. Tour N. Mexico, 113. 1848.

Common names: Guayacán soap-bush
Illustrated
Synonyms: Porlieria angustifolia (Engelmann) A. Gray
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 35.

Shrubs or trees, to 3 (–7) m; trunk well defined, to 0.3 m diam.; bark fissured vertically; branches many, spreading or straggling, knotty; crown diffuse. Leaves opposite or fascicled, 1–3 cm, folded at night and often also in heat of day; stipules persistent, subulate, 1 mm, apex acute, somewhat spinescent, glabrous; petiole absent or nearly so; leaflets 8–16, dark green, linear-oblong to linear-spatulate, 5–15 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, coriaceous, surfaces reticulate. Pedicels hairy. Flowers axillary, mostly solitary, sometimes clustered, 1.2–2 cm diam.; sepals (4–) 5, obovate, to 5 mm, outer smaller; petals (4–) 5, usually blue to purple, rarely white, obovate to elliptic, 6–10 × 2–3 mm, base short-clawed, apex often notched; stamens (8–) 10, shorter than petals; filaments each with small crenate scale at base; ovary obcordiform, flattened, 2 (–4) -lobed, 2 (–4) -locular, hairy; style subulate. Capsules becoming orange, obcordiform, flattened, 10–20 mm diam., 2 (–4) -lobed, 2 (–4) -locular, ± 2 (–4) -winged, apex abruptly attenuate-apiculate, reticulate, hairy. Seeds yellowish-brown, ovoid to reniform, 10–11 mm.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–Sep.
Habitat: Shrubby vegetation, limestone soils.
Elevation: 0–1200 m.

Distribution

V12 988-distribution-map.jpg

Tex., Mexico (Chihuahua), Mexico (Coahuila), Mexico (Nuevo León), Mexico (San Luis Potosí), Mexico (Tamaulipas)

Discussion

Guaiacum angustifolium occurs in southern, central, and western Texas. The root bark is used as a source of soap, and root extracts are used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. The stems are used for fence posts, tool handles, and firewood.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Guaiacum angustifolium"
subulate +
cordate +  and sagittate +
attenuate-apiculate +
hairy +  and glabrous +
notched;obtuse;acute +
coriaceous +
fleshy red +
Duncan M. Porter +
Engelmann in F. A. Wislizenus +
fissured +
reticulate +, smooth +  and winged +
short-clawed +
coriaceous +
broadest +
coriaceous +  and fleshy +
straggling +  and spreading +
glabrate +  and hairy +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
2(-4)-lobed +, flattened +  and obcordiform +
Guayacán +  and soap-bush +
Tex. +, Mexico (Chihuahua) +, Mexico (Coahuila) +, Mexico (Nuevo León) +, Mexico (San Luis Potosí) +  and Mexico (Tamaulipas) +
0–1200 m. +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
greenish yellow;bright orange +
loculicidal +, septicidal +  and dehiscence +
2-5-lobed;flattened;obovoid;obcordiform +
Shrubby vegetation, limestone soils. +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
middle +  and basal +
linear-oblong;linear-spatulate +
largest +  and unequal +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
pinnate +  and entire +
undifferentiated +
intrastaminal +  and extrastaminal +
evergreen +
swollen +  and angled +
2(-4)-lobed +, flattened +  and obcordiform +
spreading +  and erect +
distinct +, adnate +  and free +
white;usually blue;purple +
persistent +
distinct +
6mm;10mm +
obovate;elliptic +
unequal +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Flowering Mar–Sep. +
(2-)5-carpellate +
Mem. Tour N. Mexico, +
crenate +
yellowish-brown +
ovoid;reniform +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
deciduous +
obovate +
unequal +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Illustrated +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +
persisting +
subulate +
Porlieria angustifolia +
Guaiacum angustifolium +
Guaiacum +
species +
300 cm3,000 mm <br />3 m <br /> (700 cm7,000 mm <br />7 m <br />) +
perennial +  and annual +
tree +  and shrub +