Erythrostemon guatemalensis Eisermann & G.P. Lewis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinieae),
a new tree species from Guatemala, described in 2025
Knut Eisermann discovered a tree species new to science, described in an article in Kew Bulletin:
Eisermann K., Lewis G.P., Forest F., Gagnon E., Csiba L., Aju J. & Williamson J. (2025) Erythrostemon guatemalensis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinieae), a new Endangered tree species from the Pacific slope highlands of Guatemala. Kew Bulletin 80: 663–678. DOI 10.1007/s12225-025-10300-0.
Abstract: A new tree species, Erythrostemon guatemalensis Eisermann & G.P.Lewis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinieae), is described and illustrated based on morphological characters. The species occurs in montane, seasonally dry, tropical forest in the Pacific slope highlands of Guatemala, Departamento Sacatepéquez. Phenology data is derived from four years of field observations. Erythrostemon guatemalensis is morphologically similar to E. nicaraguensis (G.P.Lewis) Gagnon & G.P.Lewis but differs in several character details. The two species are allopatrically distributed with a distance of 450 km between their population localities and they occur at different elevations. Molecular analyses place this new taxon into a species group with E. exostemma (Sessé & Moc. ex DC.) Gagnon & G.P.Lewis, E. hughesii (G.P.Lewis) Gagnon & G.P.Lewis and E. nicaraguensis. Full-text view-only version
See record of Erythrostemon guatemalensis at
Plants of the World Online
and in the
International Plant Name Index
The description of this new tree species is the result of a study lead by a researcher from Bird-Studies-Guatemala, in collaboration with researchers from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), the University of Guelph (Canada), and Herbarium UVAL at Centro de Estudios Ambientales y Biodiversidad (CEAB) of Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.
