''Eperua'' is a genus of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s in the
legume
A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...
family,
. It belongs to the subfamily
Detarioideae
The subfamily Detarioideae is one of the subdivisions of the plant family Fabaceae (legumes). This subfamily includes many tropical trees, some of which are used for timber or have ecological importance. The subfamily consists of 84 genera, mos ...
. The fifteen species
belonging to this genus are distributed in the tropical zones of Africa and South America, living in the jungles, often along rivers or streams. The leaves are compound pinnate, with smooth margins, and the fruits are long pods. The wood of ''E. falcata'' is called wallaba and is often used in construction.
''
Eperua falcata
''Eperua falcata'', the bootlace tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to northern South America. Capable of growing in pure white sand, its timber is valued for its resistance to decay and is used for shingles, te ...
'' Aubl. occurs in
Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
,
French Guiana
French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...
and
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
, a 30 m high jungle tree called Wallaba or Bijlhout by the natives. The bark is grey brown, and the leaves pinnately compound with 2-4 pairs of obovate leaflets ~ 18 cm long. The flowers are bell-shaped in terminal or subterminal clusters. They have red petals, 5 fertile and 5 sterile stamens. The pods are up to 30 cm long and 6 cm wide, with 2-5 flat seeds.
''
Eperua grandiflora
''Eperua'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Detarioideae. The fifteen species belonging to this genus are distributed in the tropical zones of Africa and South America, living in the jungl ...
'' : "Itoeri wallaba" also occurs in Suriname and the two Guyanas.
''
Eperua rubiginosa
''Eperua'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Detarioideae. The fifteen species belonging to this genus are distributed in the tropical zones of Africa and South America, living in the jungl ...
'' also occurs in Suriname and Guyana; about 30 m high. It has unpaired pinnately compound leaves. The flowers with red and white petals have 10 fertile stamens. The pods are rusty brown, and up to 25 cm long and 5 cm wide.
''
Eperua schomburgkiana'' ~30 m high; occurs in the Guyanas. The flowers are in clusters and contain 10 fertile stamens. The pods are 20 cm long.
References
*
Detarioideae
Fabaceae genera
{{Detarioideae-stub