An updated description of Parkia barnebyana (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade) from Amazonian Venezuela and Brazil, and comparison with other species in sect. Parkia with erect capitula

Summary An updated description, including characters of the capitulum and fertile flowers, is provided for Parkia barnebyana . Originally recorded from southern Venezuela, this small canopy tree igapó (blackwater flooded forest) now also known by two collections north-western Brazil. The capitula are yellow held erect, with flowers uppermost; they borne on short, robust, upright peduncles that arise long compound inflorescence axes projecting directly above crown. structure shape place species in pantropical sect. its pod morphology suggests it lies outside largely Amazonian nitida-group; both conclusions supported a recent phylogenetic analysis. indehiscent pods remain at maturity most seeds apparently removed arboreal dispersers vertebrate seed predators. Two other neotropical , P. cachimboensis decussata to have or both, well-developed fringe staminodia basal absent. Both these chiropterophilous although we predict likely be bat-pollinated, made no observations. A fourth species, nana reported erect but do staminodial fringes; pollination has not been studied. Within occur only Neotropics, probably because head-down position which quite large generalist phyllostomid bats land them access nectar. Erect appear evolved more than once within least sometimes ancestors pendent capitula, further data needed confirm this.