Roupala caparoensis Sleumer

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T., et al. 2007. Proteaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 100: 1-218. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Proteaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Roupala caparoensis Sleumer

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Minas Gerais: Serra do Caparaó, Casa Queimada, 24 Sep 1941 (fl, fr), Brade 16999 (holotype, RB 46029; isotypes, LIL, RB).

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree, ca. 2 m tall. Young branch indumentum red-brown tomentose, somewhat persistent, fading to gray; branch bark yellowish beige, peeling to dark brown beneath. Lenticels few, conspicuous to inconspicuous, usually < 0.5 mm, raised or plane, granular, orange. Leaves simple, thick-coriaceous, very rigid, long petiolate, drying bicolorous, red-brown above and pale brown beneath, rufous-tomentose when new, quickly glabrescent above except for midrib, hairs gradually glabrescent to persistent beneath, fading to gray. Petiole well defined, 1.5-4.5 cm long × 1.5-1.8 mm broad at midlength, 1/1.6-1/1.7 the length of the lamina, subterete at the base, slightly canaliculate towards the lamina, gray-tomentose, becoming glabrous except adaxially towards the base. Lamina (4-)5-9.5 × 2.5-6 cm, length:breadth 1.5-2:1, ovate; base rounded to obtuse, symmetrical, pressing flat; apex acute or obtuse-acuminate, the apical point of midrib not protruding; margin entire, less commonly lightly serrate, not revolute; venation slightly impressed to slightly raised, inconspicuous above, slightly raised, ± conspicuous beneath, semicraspedodromous, the midvein reaching the apex; lateral veins 3-8 pairs. Inflorescences 18-21 × 2.5-3.2 cm, overtopping leaves, terminal, not branching, the indumentum rufous-tomentose throughout; peduncle 0.3-1.5 cm × 3-4 mm broad, with sterile bracts rare towards the base, undeveloped leaves sometimes present at the base of the inflorescence. Common bracts 1-3 × 1-2 mm, rufous-tomentose to the outside, glabrous to the inside, the base ± square, triangular at the apex. Flower-pair axis absent. Pedicels 3-5 × 0.6-0.8 mm, rufous-tomentose. Buds 1.5-2 mm broad at the apex, 11.2 mm broad at midlength, rufous-tomentose. Flowers 8-10 mm long; filaments 0.3-1 mm long, adnate at 6.8-7.3 mm from base of tepals; anthers 2.5 × 0.5-0.8 mm; nectary lobes 0.3-0.4 mm long, closely juxtaposed; ovary hairs extending 2.5-3 mm from the base of the ovary, covering entire ovary and base of style, short, straight, appressed, red-brown to brown; ovules 0.7-0.8 × 0.2-0.4 mm. Infructescence 9-16.5 cm long. Fruit pedicels 6-7 × 1 mm. Fruit 2.6-3.2 × 1-1.2 cm, constricted for 3-4 mm at the base, ca. 1 mm at the apex, brown, tinged with red, the indumentum ± persisting to maturity. Seeds damaged.

  • Discussion

    Roupala caparoensis is most similar to Roupala montana var. impressiuscula; R. caparoensis, nevertheless, has a persistent tomentum on leaves and young branches, as well as terminal inflorescences which, together with the flowers and flower parts, are much larger.

    This species is characterized by its leaves, which are commonly folded in half in herbarium specimens, possess persistent indumentum beneath, and have long, well defined petioles. The ovary indumentum is appressed and covers the ovary and the base of the style. The leaf indumentum is like Roupala paulensis, but the margin is not undulate in R. caparoensis. The inflorescence is more robust than in R. paulensis, and the ovary indumentum is browner and shorter. Low tree ca. 2 m tall. Flowering Sep to Nov; fruiting in Sep.

  • Common Names

    Came de vaca

  • Distribution

    A narrow endemic which occurs on the Serra do Caparaó in Minas Gerais, Brazil. According to one record it grows at 2200 m alt.

    Minas Gerais Brazil South America|