Nectandra lineata (Kunth)
Rohwer
Common Name: AGUACATILLO
Occasional understory (15 m) evergreen tree found growing in
patches of secondary vegetation where direct sunlight is available.
Like other "aguacatillos", this tree is an important
producer of food for many species of mammals and birds.
Description: N. lineata has
a small, trunk with a circular cross section 
and a 20 cm diameter. The bole
is straight and it is covered with thin, smooth, creme-colored
bark. Branches emerge along the upper third of its length and
these form a rounded, dense, though small crown. Leaves
are dark-green, glossy, alternate and simple. The large blades
(22 by 8 cm) - supported by 2 cm petioles - are thick and leathery,
elliptical in shape, and lack well developed drip-tips. Yellowish
main veins may be observed below the leaf face. New foliage is
produced terminally and emerges limp and light green. Aggressive
growth of twigs and new leaves occurs during the wet winter months
of July through September. Flowers (1 cm in diameter) are
white, sturdy and long-lasting, occurring in large terminal or
subterminal panicles. Each possesses a thick, somewhat pubescent
perianth, itself consisting of three sepals and three nearly identical
petals. The center of the blossom sports six short, petal-like
appendages that enclose many, tiny yellow stamens. Centrally positioned,
the white pistil is divided into three sections. Blossoms persist
for an extended period beginning in late October and lasting through
early February. Flower and fruit production occur annually, with
all individuals participating. Fruits (1 cm) become visible
soon after flowering starts, and they grow into the glossy green,
avocado-like, speckled drupes typical of this genus. Also typical
are the cup or goblet-shaped green calyxes that envelope the inferior
portion of the fruits. Borne in dense, panicles and held vertically
at the ends of branches, these drupes remain exposed and visible
above the tree canopy. When mature, they darken slightly and soften.
Each contains a single seed. Harvests are abundant and they occur
from March through May.
Similar Species: Nectandra
salicifolia (see description) is a close relative of N.
lineata. Of similar size, this former species also has fruits
that resemble those of the latter. However, N. salicifolia's
leaves are much the smaller of the two and its fruits are borne
in vibrant, red calyxes. (See N. salicifolia).
Natural History: N. lineata
flowers are bee and insect pollinated. Its fruits are avidly
eaten by a very wide variety of mammals and birds, among them
squirrel and white-faced Monkeys, Slaty-tailed Trogons, Bairds'
Trogons, Masked Tityras, 
Clay-colored Robins, and Blue-crowned
Motmots. These birds feed most aggressively in the early morning
(within the first hour or two of daybreak), perching on nearby
branches, periodically sallying out to nab fruits while flying,
and then swallowing them whole. Those seeds that survive passage
through the bird's digestive tract (or that are regurgitated)
will almost surely find themselves well dispersed. The position
of the fruits in the trees - high and clear of obscuring foliage
- makes them more visible to potential avian consumers. This positioning
is important in N. lineata particularly since its fruits
lack any bright coloration. N. salicifolia, sporting conspicuous
red calyxes, can afford to mingle its fruits with the crown foliage.
Uses: N. lineata, like N.
salicifolia, has great importance as a food source for the
mammals and birds typical of Costa Rica's humid, Pacific slope
forests.
Distribution: This tree has been
collected from Carara, Corcovado, Manuel Antonio, the Nicoya Peninsula
and Limon within Costa Rica, as well as from Nicaragua, Panama,
Colombia and Ecuador without.
and a 20 cm diameter. The bole
is straight and it is covered with thin, smooth, creme-colored
bark. Branches emerge along the upper third of its length and
these form a rounded, dense, though small crown. Leaves
are dark-green, glossy, alternate and simple. The large blades
(22 by 8 cm) - supported by 2 cm petioles - are thick and leathery,
elliptical in shape, and lack well developed drip-tips. Yellowish
main veins may be observed below the leaf face. New foliage is
produced terminally and emerges limp and light green. Aggressive
growth of twigs and new leaves occurs during the wet winter months
of July through September. Flowers (1 cm in diameter) are
white, sturdy and long-lasting, occurring in large terminal or
subterminal panicles. Each possesses a thick, somewhat pubescent
perianth, itself consisting of three sepals and three nearly identical
petals. The center of the blossom sports six short, petal-like
appendages that enclose many, tiny yellow stamens. Centrally positioned,
the white pistil is divided into three sections. Blossoms persist
for an extended period beginning in late October and lasting through
early February. Flower and fruit production occur annually, with
all individuals participating. Fruits (1 cm) become visible
soon after flowering starts, and they grow into the glossy green,
avocado-like, speckled drupes typical of this genus. Also typical
are the cup or goblet-shaped green calyxes that envelope the inferior
portion of the fruits. Borne in dense, panicles and held vertically
at the ends of branches, these drupes remain exposed and visible
above the tree canopy. When mature, they darken slightly and soften.
Each contains a single seed. Harvests are abundant and they occur
from March through May.