Abstract

FERNANDEZ, Franklin H.  and  HUACCHA, Annick E.. Vegetative and reproductive phenology of Cinchona micrantha (Rubiaceae) in a humid forest in Jaen, Peru. Caldasia [online]. 2022, vol.44, n.3, pp.459-468.  Epub June 06, 2024. ISSN 0366-5232.  https://doi.org/10.15446/caldasia.v44n3.88298.

Cinchona micrantha, commonly known as cinchona tree, is a species with high medicinal value that became popular for its antimalarial use and febrifuge properties and is currently listed as a threatened species. The objective of this research was to study the phenological behavior of C. micrantha in a humid forest of the community La Cascarilla, Jaén, Peru, from January to December 2018. For this purpose, 35 trees were randomly selected. Phenological characterization was carried out monthly, to record vegetative biological variables such as new leaves, mature leaves, and leaf abscission; reproductive variables were also studied such as flowering, presence of immature fruits, mature fruits, and dehiscent fruits. These data were correlated with records of precipitation, temperature and photoperiod of the study area. New leaves, mature leaves, and leaf abscission were evidenced throughout the year. There is a negative correlation between flowering and immature fruit phenophases with photoperiod (rs= -0.85, P= 0.02 and rs= -0.91, P= 0.01 respectively), and a negative correlation between mature fruit phenophase with precipitation and minimum temperature (rs= -0.61, P=0.04 and rs= -0.60, P=0.05 respectively). The results suggest that temperature, precipitation, and photoperiod could determine the reproductive phenology of C. micrantha, however, this pattern was not observed in the vegetative phenology because it is an evergreen species. The phenological variations observed are relevant for the conservation of the species.

Keywords : Cinchona tree; leaf production; flowering; fruiting.

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