Remember Jacquinia macrocarpa subspecies pungens (family Theophrastaceae), featured in the last issue of the MEMBG newsletter? Well, it was simply a coincidence that in late March, while studying cacti on an international research expedition in Micho·can, Mexico, I happened upon this very plant species in the wild.
Our team was based at an important hydroelectric dam, La Presa del Infiernillo ("the dam from little hell"-and yes, it does get hot there!). During the long dry season, most native trees and shrubs are leafless (i.e., they are drought deciduous), hence the vegetation is described as tropical short-tree deciduous forest. Arborescent cacti, in particular Stenocereus quevedonis and the narrowly distributed S. fricii, provided the only consistent green in this dry landscape. However, there occurred one fully evergreen species, our jacquinia, uncommon but growing among the many spiny legumes, just emerging from dormancy. On the leaf litter beneath its canopy we found the rinds of the jacquinia fruits. These were about three centimeters in diameter, appearing like small oranges, their seeds removed by local animals. This large shrub, attaining four meters within the forest, also had intricate sculpturing on its tight, light-gray bark.
Arthur C. Gibson, Director