Pakaraimaea Explained

Pakaraimaea is a genus of trees in the family Cistaceae. The genus contains a single species, Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea, from South America.^[1] It was formerly placed in subfamily Pakaraimoideae of the family Dipterocarpaceae. The species is found in the western highlands of Guyana and in adjacent Bolivar State in Venezuela.^[2] It maintains strong ectomycorrhizal associations with a wide variety of fungal species.^[3] The trees can sometimes be seen forming large stands in the western Guyanas.

Taxonomy

As of APG IV, the species has been moved out of the Dipterocarpaceae (formerly in subfamily Pakaraimoideae) and is now placed within an expanded Cistaceae due to molecular evidence showing that it is sister to the remainder of Cistaceae.^[4]

Subspecies

, Plants of the World Online accepted two subspecies:

• Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea subsp. dipterocarpacea
• Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea subsp. nitida Maguire & Steyerm.

Notes and References

1. Pakaraimaea Maguire & P.S.Ashton. 14385-1. 2024-03-02. cs1.
2. Bassett Maguire and Peter S. Ashton. Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea II. Taxon. 29. 2/3. 1980. 225–231. 10.2307/1220284. 1220284.
3. Smith. Matthew E.. Henkel. Terry W.. Uehling. Jessie K.. Fremier. Alexander K.. Clarke. H. David. Vilgalys. Rytas. 2013-01-31. The Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Community in a Neotropical Forest Dominated by the Endemic Dipterocarp Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea. PLOS ONE. 8. 1. e55160. 10.1371/journal.pone.0055160. 1932-6203. 3561384. 23383090. 2013PLoSO...855160S. free.
4. Ducousso. M.. Bena. G.. Bourgeois. C.. Buyck. B.. Eyssartier. G.. Vincelette. M.. Rabevohitra. R.. Randrihasipara. L.. Dreyfus. B.. 2004. The last common ancestor of Sarcolaenaceae and Asian dipterocarp trees was ectomycorrhizal before the India-Madagascar separation, about 88 million years ago. Molecular Ecology. 13. 1. 231–236. 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2003.02032.x. 0962-1083. 14653803. 2004MolEc..13..231D . 33171677.