''Weinmannia pinnata'', commonly known as the bastard briziletto, is a species of tree in the family

Cunoniaceae Cunoniaceae is a family of 27 Genus, genera and about 335 species of woody plants in the order Oxalidales, mostly found in the tropical and wet temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. The greatest diversity of genera are in Australia and Ta ...

. It is native to Mexico, Central America, South America and the West Indies. It typically grows in wet habitats at high altitudes, and is one of the species found in

dwarf forest Dwarf forest, elfin forest, or pygmy forest is an uncommon ecosystem featuring miniature trees, inhabited by small species of fauna such as rodents and lizards. They are usually located at high elevations, under conditions of sufficient air humi ...

s perpetually wreathed in clouds.

Description

''Weinmannia pinnata'' is a large shrub some tall which sometimes grows into a small tree. The trunk can reach in diameter and the bark exudes an astringent gum. The pinnate leaves are up to long and are stalkless. They are arranged in opposite pairs and have a winged midrib. The nine to twenty leaflets are oval, have serrated margins and rusty-brown hairs on the underside. The small flowers are in spikes similar to those of the bottlebrush; the buds are tinged pink and the flowers are white with pink centres. The fruits are dry and red, and divided in two parts. They are tipped by the remains of the long style.

Distribution and habitat

In South America the species' range includes Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador and in Central America it ranges from Panama to Guatemala. It is also native to Mexico. In the Caribbean it is present on the arc of islands from Cuba to St Lucia. It grows in wet mountain forests; in Guatemala its altitude range is . Along with ''

Prestoea montana ''Prestoea montana'' (Vernacular English: Sierran palm;Brunellia comocladifolia ''Brunellia comocladifolia'', commonly known as the West Indian sumac, is a species of tree in the family Brunelliaceae. It is native to Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America. Description ''Brunellia comocladifolia'' is a ...

'' and ''

Podocarpus coriaceus ''Podocarpus coriaceus'', commonly known as the yucca plum pine, is a species of conifer, an evergreen tree in the family Podocarpaceae. It is found in the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, and Saint Kitts and N ...

'', it is present in the wet cloud forests on the ridges and summits of the

Sierra de Luquillo The Sierra de Luquillo is a mountain range located in the northeastern part of Puerto Rico. Also known as the Luquillo Mountains, these are steep-sided, densely-forested mountains rising to elevations of around , the highest point being the summit ...

mountains in Puerto Rico.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15597545 pinnata Trees of Mexico Flora of South America Flora of Central America Flora of the Caribbean Cloud forest flora of Mexico Flora of the Talamancan montane forests