Contributions to Neotropical botany

Erythrostemon guatemalensis Eisermann & G.P. Lewis,
a new tree species

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.

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: DOI 10.1007/s12225-025-10300-0. Full-text view-only version