The ciricote (Cordia dodecandra DC.): An invaluable tree of southwestern Mexico

Miriam Monserrat Ferrer, Anell Del Carmen García Romero, María Camila Hurtado Torres, Óscar Omar Álvarez Rivera

Abstract


Background. The ciricote (Cordia dodecandra DC.), known in Maya as k’oopte’, is a Mesoamerican deciduous tree of biocultural relevance in southeastern Mexico, particularly within agroforestry systems. The objective of this study was to systematize and analyze the available information on its systematics, ecology, and management, in order to identify the main advances in its study. Methodology. A systematic review was conducted using search engines and scientific databases, compiling 87 publications (scientific articles, theses, and historical documents) related to the species. These works were grouped into seven main thematic areas: taxonomy, climatic and edaphic factors associated with its distribution, reproductive biology, population ecology in managed systems, antagonistic and positive interactions, and domestication. Main findings. Cordia dodecandra belongs to the family Cordiaceae and has five taxonomic synonyms. Its distribution is concentrated in regions with a warm subhumid climate, primarily on karstic soils in the state of Yucatán, where it occurs in dry forest fragments, forest systems, and agroforestry plots. Its adaptation to challenging edaphic conditions gives it potential for reforestation programs. Interactions have been recorded with one herbivore, one frugivore, and several foliar pathogens identified through metagenomic studies. Additionally, the species maintains beneficial associations with hymenopterans and hummingbirds that use its flowers as a resource. The species exhibits distyly, which conditions fruit production, and shows low germination and recruitment rates in natural forests. In this context, agroforestry systems—particularly home gardens—act as germplasm reservoirs and play a key role in the species’ domestication process. Directed selection toward larger fruits and leaves has been observed, although biological interactions remain similar to those found in wild forests. Implications. This review highlights the diversity of research conducted on the ciricote, mainly in Yucatán, which contributes to a better understanding of its functioning and ecological dynamics in both natural vegetation fragments and managed systems of varying intensity. Conclusions. Research on the ecology and management of C. dodecandra in southeastern Mexico underscores the importance of its management, particularly within agroforestry systems in Yucatán, which now serve as key sites for the in-situ conservation of this valuable species.

Keywords


agroforestal systems; ecological interactions; distily; domestication; forest remnants; traditional agroecosystems.

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References


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URN: http://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/urn:ISSN:1870-0462-tsaes.v29i1.64246

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56369/tsaes.6424

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