Protium costaricense (Rose) Engl., Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2 [Engler & Prantl] 19a: 414. 1931.

Santamaria-Aguilar, Daniel & Lagomarsino, Laura P., 2017, Two new species and a new combination in Protium (Burseraceae) from Costa Rica, PhytoKeys 76, pp. 89-113 : 106-109

Protium costaricense (Rose) Engl., Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2 [Engler & Prantl] 19a: 414. 1931. Figs 8B , 9

Icica costaricensis Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 25(3): 259. 1911. Type. COSTA RICA. [Alajuela:] Santa Clara: Las Delicias, [500 m], Jan 1897 [♀ fl], P. Biolley 10665 [T. Biolley (sic), in the protologue] (holotype: US-digital image! [herbarium of Capt. John Donnell Smith, in the protologue]; isotypes: CR!, F!).

Habitat and distribution.

Protium costaricense it is known from wet forests on the Caribbean slopes of Nicaragua ( Atlántico Sur and Río San Juan Departments), Panama ( Colón and Panamá Provinces), and Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, it is known from throughout the Caribbean coastal plain in Alajuela and Limón Provinces. It grows in primary forest and along river or forest edges, from 0 to 200 m in elevation (reportedly up to 500 m, according to the label of the type).

Phenology.

Collected with staminate flowers in February and June; pistillate flowers in February, July, and August; and fruits in January and from June to December.

Common name.

In Nicaragua, this species is known as alcanfor (A. Laguna 73; R. Rueda et al. 5338). In Costa Rica and Panama, it goes by copal, chutra, kerosín and alcanfor ( Condit et al. 2011).

Additional material examined.

NICARAGUA. Atlántico Sur [Zelaya]: Santa Fe, unión del Caño Agua Fría y Quebrada La Capilla, [11°41'N, 084°28'W], [100-200 m], 02 Oct 1982 (fr), A. Laguna 73 (MO). Río San Juan: Sábalo, 1 km al norte de río San Juan, 11°02'N, 084°27'W, [100 m], 09-10 Jul 1985 (fr), P.P. Moreno 26057 (MO); sobre el río Indio, entre San Juan del Norte Nuevo y La Casa de Narciso Orozco, incluyendo Caño Negro, 10°58'N, 083°44'W, 0-100 m, 01 Jul 1994 (♀ fl), R. Rueda et al. 1612 (MO); Reserva Indio-Maíz, Mpio. de San Juan del Norte, Laguna de Silico, 10°51'N, 083°46'W, 0-10 m, 02 Aug 1996 (fr), R. Rueda et al. 4850 (MO); Reserva Indio-Maíz, Mpio. de El Castillo, a lo largo del río Bartola entre el caño la Lar garta y la cabecera del río Bartola, 11°16'N, 084°16'W, [50-100 m], 29 Dec 1996 (fr), R. Rueda et al. 5127 (MO); Reserva Indio-Maíz, Mpio. de El Castillo, a 8 km de la cabecera del río Bartola, en dirección al Cerro el Diablo, 11°01'N, 084°14'W, 120 m, 04 Jan 1997 (fr), R. Rueda et al. 5338 (MO); Reserva Indio-Maíz, Mpio. de El Castillo, 3 km al norte de la desembocadura del Caño Chontaleño, 11°05'N, 084°15'W, 24 Feb 1997 (♂ fl), R. Rueda et al. 6285 (MO); Mpio. El Castillo, Reserva Indio-Maíz, río San Juan, entre la desembocadura del río Bartola y el Caño Sarnoso, 10°56'N, 084°20'W, 100 m, 04 Dec 1998 (fr), R. Rueda et al. 9462 (MO). COSTA RICA. Alajuela: along road between Cañas (Guanacaste) and Upala, near río Zapote, 1.8-2.7 km south of río Canalete, ca. 100 m, 25 Jun 1976 (♂ fl), T.B. Croat 36355 (MO, NY-digital image); San Carlos, San Luis de Cutris, 23 Sep 1983 (fr), L.J. Poveda 3663 (USJ). Limón: cantón de Pococí, Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Barra del Colorado, Sardinas, 10°38'24"N, 083°43'48"W, 15 m, 25 Nov 1992 (fr), F. Araya 61 (CR, MO, NY-digital image); Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Barra del Colorado, Puerto Lindo, 10°41'24"N, 083°39'00"W, 200 m, 24 Jul 1995 (fr), F. Araya & J. Corrales 803 (MO, NY-digital image); Southwestern-most ridge of Cerro Coronel, NW-facing slope, just S of the río Colorado, 10°40'30"N, 083°39'30"W, 10-80 m, 17-18 Sep 1986 (fr), G. Davidse & G. Herrera 31469 (MO); Hacienda Tapezco-Hds, La Suerte, 29 air km W of Tortuguero, 10°30'N, 083°47'W, 40 m, 20 Aug 1979 (♀ fl), C. Davidson & J. Donahue 8514 (MO); Parque Nacional Tortuguero, Estación Agua Fría, 3 km al Sur, Sendero Real, 10°27'N, 083°34'W, 40 m, 18 Jan 1988 (fr), R. Robles 1624 (MO, NY-digital image); Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Barra del Colorado, sector Cocorí, 30 km N de Cariari, 10°35'40"N, 083°48'00"W, 100 m, 15 Jun 1991 (fr), E. Rojas 227 (CR, MO, NY-digital image); río Santa Clara, 1 ½ NW. of Los Diamantes, ne. of Guápiles, ca. 980 ft [298 m], 18 Aug 1961 (fr), G.B. Rossbach 3823 (GH); Cerro Coronel, E of río Zapote, 1 km of río Colorado, 10°40'N, 083°40'W, 10-40 m, 13-14 Sep 1986 (fr), W.D. Stevens & O.M. Montiel 24333 (MO); Pueblo Nuevo, 17 km NE of Guácimo, 10°20'N, 083°36'W, 100 m, 07 Sep 1994 (fr), K. Thomsen 1112 (CR, NY-digital image). PANAMA. Colón: Donoso, río Hoja, UTM: E544656; N985023 [08°54'39"N, 080°35'38"W], 23 Aug 2009 (fr), B. Araúz & J. De Gracia 2118 (MO). Panamá: Zona del Canal: Barro Colorado Island, Frank Drayton Trail, [09°09'15"N, 079°51'05"W], [10-150 m], 22 May 1968 (fl bud), T.B. Croat 5769 (MO); Barro Colorado Island, William Morton Wheeler Trail, [09°09'20"N, 079°51'10"W], [10-170 m], 22 Sep 1968 (fr), T.B. Croat 6295 (MO); Barro Colorado Island, Drayton House, [09°08'29"N, 079°50'35"W], [10 m], 28 Feb 1969 (st), T.B. Croat 8262 (MO); Barro Colorado Island, Drayton House, [09°08'29"N, 079°50'35"W], [10 m], 16 Jul 1970 (fr), T.B. Croat 11337 (F, MO); Drayton House, [09°08'29"N, 079°50'35"W], [0-5 m], 28 Aug 1970 (fr), T.B. Croat 11939 (MO); Barro Colorado Island, James Zetek Trail, [09°09'31"N, 079°52'05"W], [10-100 m], 07 Jun 1971 (♂ fl), T.B. Croat 14926 (F, GH, MO-2 sheets); Barro Colorado Island, Drayton House, 06 Jul 1969 (fr), R. Foster 1093 (F, GH); Pipeline Road, 4 mi. N of Gamboa, [09°10'N, 079°46'W], [50-100 m], 21 Dec 1971 (st), A.H. Gentry 3230 (MO); Pipeline Road, [09°10'N, 079°46'W], 100 m, 10 Aug 1971 (fr), E. Lao et al. 16 (GH, MO-2 sheets); Pipeline Road, 16.6 km from beginning of road, N along río Agua Salud, [09°14'38"N, 079°48'57"W], 0-100 m, 22 Sep 1974 (fr), S.A. Mori & J.A. Kallunki 2039 (GH, MO); along río Mendosa near Pipeline Road, 8 km NW of Gamboa, [09°09'36"N, 079°44'44"W], 95 m, 01 Nov 1973 (fr), M. Nee 7743 (MO); Isla Barro Colorado, 120 m, 12 Oct 2006 (fr), R. Pérez & S. Aguilar 1632 (MO); Barro Colorado Island, W of Drayton House, [09°08'29"N, 079°50'35"W], [0-10 m], 16 Feb 1932 (♀ fl), R.H. Woodworth & P.A. Vestal 605 (A, MO).

The pseudarils of Protium costaricense are reported to have a pleasant flavor (L.J. Poveda 3663, USJ).

Figures

Figure 8. Types of Protium brenesii (A) and Protium costaricense (B). Images courtesy of Museo Nacional de Costa Rica.

Figure 9. Distribution of Protium brenesii and Protium costaricense.