Prockia crucis

Prockia crucis
An acquired specimen from the Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Salicaceae
Genus:	Prockia
Species:	P. crucis
Binomial name
Prockia crucis P.Browne ex L.
Synonyms
List Kellettia odorata Seem. Prockia acuta DC. Prockia bahiensis Turcz. Prockia completa Hook. Prockia crucifolia Müll.Berol. Prockia crucis var. cordata DC. Prockia crucis var. septemnervia (Spreng.) Sleumer Prockia crucis var. villosa A.Rich. Prockia glabra Briq. Prockia grandiflora Herzog Prockia hassleri Briq. Prockia lobata Poir. Prockia lutea (L.) Gilg Prockia macrostachya DC. Prockia mexicana Turcz. Prockia morifolia Triana & Planch. Prockia septemnervia Spreng. Prockia subcordata DC. Prockia tomentosa A.Rich. Prockia villosa Moric. Tinea triplinervia Spreng. Trilix auriculata Ruiz & Pav. Trilix crucis (P.Browne ex L.) Griseb. Trilix lutea L.

Prockia crucis, most commonly known as guasimilla, is a species of flowering plant in the family Salicaceae. It is the type species of its genus, Prockia. It goes by other names as well, including albaricoquillo, botón de oro, calabura, canaiuva, canudeiro, cuiteleiro, guaçatunga-coração, guacimilla de costa, gauí, guaiapá-manso, marmeladinha, and uaí.

The plant has a very wide distribution, spanning from Central America down to Argentina. It also has a presence in most of the Caribbean and South America, throughout many countries. The species is commonly found in disturbed habitats, humid forests, and tropical to subtropical regions at elevations of 80–2,500 m (260–8,200 ft). It is also found within bush vegetation, gallery forests, forest borders with grassland, secondary forests, tropical deciduous forests, semi-evergreen tropical forests, oak forests, thorny rainforests, shrublands, on limestone, and in serpentine soils.

Description

Prockia crucis is a versatile plant growing as shrubs or small trees, typically ranging from 1.2–10 m (3 ft 11 in – 32 ft 10 in) in height, occasionally reaching up to 20 m (66 ft), with trunks up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter and bark that varies from smooth and light gray to rough and brown. Its cylindrical branches may be glabrous, variously pubescent, or lenticellate. The leaves are alternate, spirally arranged, and borne on petioles measuring 0.3–3 cm (0.12–1.18 in) that are glabrous or softly pubescent, often bearing a pair of glands at the junction with the blade. Leaf blades, ovate to lanceolate or occasionally elliptic, measure 2–15 cm (0.79–5.91 in) in length and 1–11 cm (0.39–4.33 in) in width, with acuminate apices, rounded to cordate bases, serrate or crenate margins, and chartaceous to membranaceous surfaces that may be glabrous, sparsely pubescent, or occasionally discolorous. Leaves exhibit salicoid teeth, brachyparacytic stomata, a collateral, arch-shaped vascular system accompanied by sclerenchyma, and secondary petiole growth with abundant crystals. Prominent stipules, 3–20 mm (0.12–0.79 in) in length, are lanceolate or subreniform, markedly inequilateral, glandular-serrate, and either persistent or early deciduous. Inflorescences are axillary or terminal, paniculate or racemose, bearing 2–12 fragrant flowers 4–14 mm (0.16–0.55 in) in diameter, with green sepals that are ovate to subcordate and tomentellous externally but glabrous or sparsely pubescent internally. Petals, when present, are yellow, often early deciduous, and sometimes tomentellous. Stamens are numerous with glabrous filaments of varying lengths, and the superior ovary is globose to ovoid, glabrous or pubescent, with an elongate style and a finely lobed or thickened stigma. Fruits are globose berries or drupes, 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) in diameter, glabrous or pilose, with a thin pericarp that transitions from green to deep red or black at maturity, while seeds are ellipsoid, 1.2–1.5 mm (0.047–0.059 in) long, with a smooth or striate testa. Flowering occurs mainly from May to August, while fruiting takes place between June and November, with notable morphological variability across its range. This species demonstrates a carbon biomass of 6.37 kg (14.0 lb) and possesses wood that is white, rough, and straight-grained, with a density of 0.58 g/cm³ (0.020 oz/cm³).

The study of Prockia crucis has revealed its noteworthy anatomical, ecological, and biochemical properties. The globular, sessile extrafloral nectaries found on leaf bases and margins were identified for the first time, exhibiting a single-layered palisade epidermis and sugar-rich secretions. These nectaries attract mutualistic organisms that deter herbivores, playing a critical role in ecological interactions. The secretion produced by the secretory structures of Prockia crucis contains fructose, glucose, and sucrose, with sugars comprising 49.6% of the total secretion. They also resemble salicoid teeth observed in Populus and Salix, indicating close phylogenetic relationships within the Salicaceae family. Phytochemical analyses have demonstrated the medicinal and chemical significance of Prockia crucis. Ethanol extracts from its leaves and bark exhibit potent acetylcholinesterase inhibition comparable to physostigmine, suggesting potential applications in Alzheimer’s treatment. Antioxidant activity is notable, with EC50 values of 47.731 μg/mL (0.00073660 gr/mL) for bark extracts and 137.64 μg/mL (0.0021241 gr/mL) for leaf extracts, with HPLC analysis identifying compounds such as gallic acid and luteolin in the bark, and kaempferol and coumarin in the leaves. Additionally, the plant displays antifungal properties against Candida species, showing minimum inhibitory concentrations of ≥1024 μg/mL (≥0.01580 gr/mL) and demonstrating synergistic effects with fluconazole against C. tropicalis, although antagonistic effects were observed with C. albicans in combination with fluconazole. Collectively, these findings underscore the ecological and pharmacological importance of Prockia crucis, highlighting its adaptive traits and potential applications in medicine.

Taxonomy

Prockia crucis was first named by Patrick Browne in 1759. Over time, the species has gained a list of synonyms, including 16 names formerly recognized as species of Prockia.

Uses

Prockia crucis thrives across diverse conditions, performing well in woodland shade and moist soils, yet tolerating droughts, rocky terrains, and even seasonal inundation. It begins bearing fruit within 1–3 years of planting and can grow in various environments, including gardens, squares, large pots, or waterlogged areas. Propagation is through seeds, which lose viability within 20–30 days and germinate in 40–60 days, or mature cuttings of 25 cm (9.8 in) length. Seeds are best sown on the soil surface of a shaded nursery seedbed, where they should be pressed gently to ensure contact with the substrate. The plant displays moderate growth when young and adapts well to sun or shade, with a recommended planting season of September to October.

The plant produces small fruits with sweet pulp that resemble the taste of fig jam, though their edibility is not explicitly confirmed. Its leaves are said to have medicinal properties, while its appealing flowers enhance ornamental value and attract pollinators, suggesting honey potential. The plant is hosted by Condylorrhiza vestigialis, and its fruits are appreciated by native fauna. Pruning encourages desired crown shapes, while organic compost supports growth. The wood, though lightweight and workable, lacks durability and holds no known specific use.

Observation data

The observation patterns of Prockia crucis on iNaturalist reveal seasonal and yearly trends across its various life stages. Peaks in overall observations occur in June and October, with June recording the highest count, while July and August show a significant decline, with August being the lowest. Observations of fruits or seeds are concentrated in January and February, peaking at two in January, indicating early fruiting activity. Flowering is most prominent in November, with three observations of flowers and one of flower buds, signaling reproductive activity late in the year. Observations of green leaves peak in February, June, and November, showcasing increased leaf activity during these months. Observations without annotations dominate in May and October, likely reflecting broader observer efforts or higher visibility of the plant. These discrepancies between annotated and non-annotated data highlight the combined influence of human observation behavior and ecological factors. Integrating these patterns with geographical and seasonal context enables a clearer distinction between phenological trends and observation biases, thereby supporting ecological research and conservation efforts for the species.

Conservation status

Prockia crucis is considered abundant, with a large and stable population, and is experiencing no current survival problems. It has been recorded frequently, and the existence of fertile collections indicates the presence of numerous healthy populations. Furthermore, it benefits from well-conserved habitats and is found in many protected areas. No significant threats have been identified, and it is not currently experiencing any severe impacts. As a result, the species is assessed as LC by the IUCN Red List.

In Mexico, it is found within the protected areas of Sierra de Manantlán, Los Tuxtlas, La Sepultura, El Triunfo, La Frailescana and Huatulco.

External links

• Media related to Prockia crucis at Wikimedia Commons