''Ampelocera hottlei'' is a species of neotropical trees in the

Ulmaceae The Ulmaceae () are a family (biology), family of flowering plants that includes the elms (genus ''Ulmus''), and the zelkovas (genus ''Zelkova''). Members of the family are widely distributed throughout the Temperate, north temperate zone, and ha ...

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Description

Trees 10–30 m tall; trunk 10–50 cm dbh, with narrow buttresses ca. 2 m tall; bark smooth, white to gray with dark

lenticel A lenticel is a porous tissue consisting of cells with large intercellular spaces in the periderm of the secondarily thickened organs and the Bark (botany), bark of woody stems and roots of gymnosperms and dicotyledonous flowering plants. It func ...

s. Branchlets light brown-gray,

late;

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole (botany), petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part ...

s ca. 4 mm long. Petioles 0.6-1.2 cm long; leaf blades, oblong to elliptic, 7–26 cm long, 2.6-10.5 cm wide, apex

acuminate The following terms are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade ...

, base obliquely

attenuate In physics, attenuation (in some contexts, extinction) is the gradual loss of flux intensity through a medium. For instance, dark glasses attenuate sunlight, lead attenuates X-rays, and water and air attenuate both light and sound at variable at ...

to rounded, margins entire, chartaceous to subcoriaceous when dry, dull dark green above, dull light green beneath,

glabrous Glabrousness () is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes, or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of a plant or animal, or be due to loss because of a physical condition, ...

and smooth on both sides, lateral veins 3-5, palmately veined at the base of the leaf blade.

Inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

axil A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, fl ...

lary compound dichasia, 1-2.5 cm long, with 8-17 flowers, the

perfect flower Plant reproductive morphology is the study of the physical form and structure (the morphology) of those parts of plants directly or indirectly concerned with sexual reproduction. Among all living organisms, flowers, which are the reproductive s ...

s toward the apex and

staminate The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

flowers toward the base. Flowers purplish to yellowish green,

puberulent Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

eoles 1–2 mm long; calyx 1–2 mm long, with 5 lobes, externally puberulent; stamens ca. 16 in perfect flowers, ca. 8 in staminate flowers; stamens ca. 3 mm long; ovary puberulent,

style Style, or styles may refer to: Film and television * ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal * ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film * ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film * '' ...

branches ca. 4 mm long. Fruits yellow, obovoid, 1.2-1.5 cm tall, 1-1.2 cm wide, velutinous, with persistent style.

Distribution and habitat

''A. hottlei'' occurs from central

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

in primary rainforest or tropical wet forest.

Phenology

Flowering reported from February and fruiting from March to June.

Vernacular names

*Mexico: coquito, cautivo, guaya, ojoche blanco, popo mojo. *Belize: bullhoof, luin. *Guatemala: luin, tison. *El Salvador: tison. *Nicaragua: cuscano, yayo.

Uses

Wood suitable for construction and making of

railroad tie A railroad tie, crosstie (American English), railway tie (Canadian English) or railway sleeper ( Australian and British English) is a rectangular support for the rails in railroad tracks. Generally laid perpendicular to the rails, ties trans ...

Description

Distribution and habitat

Phenology

Vernacular names

Uses

References

Further reading