Strychnos eugeniifolia Monach.
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Authority
Krukoff, Boris A. 1965. Supplementary notes on the American species of Strychnos VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 12: 1-94.
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Family
Loganiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution: As per Monachino (l.c.), in addition to the type collection (in fruit) it has been collected in the same locality for the second time by Froes and also by Black. I have not seen these two collections. The species doubtless occurs also in adjacent French Guiana.Brazil: Territory of Amapa: basin of Rio Oiapoque (entre Igarapé Moncherri e Nataia), Froes 25844 (type, NY).A bush-rope of 9 cm in diam. from the high forest on low lands of terra-firme. Mature fruits were collected early in February.
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Discussion
The original description is well made and Monachino is correct that this species “is easily distinguished from all the American species described, by its small ovate leaves and the total lack of puberulence or any kind of indumentum on its branchlets, petioles and leaf-blades. Verruculosity and microscopic (atomic) dots are absent from the leaves.’' It must be remembered, however, that this statement applies only to the mature leaves of the specimen in fruit of a type collection obviously obtained from the upper part of a bush-rope. Its flowers and young leaves of specimens in flower are not yet known. Once they are collected, they should be compared with those of S. divaricans which is known to me only from two collections in flower and five sterile specimens obviously obtained from the lower parts of bush-ropes. I have not seen as yet the collection in fruit which Ducke distributed together with Ducke 2309 (specimens in flower) and which collection likely includes mature leaves from the upper part of a bush-rope. Fruits and seeds of this species were described by Monachino (l.c.) and Ducke (31: 22, 55). Ducke states that fruits resemble those of S. Blackii but smaller (4.5-7.5 cm in diam.) with a more solid and slightly more thick (2-4 mm) shell. In his key, made on the basis of fruit characters, it comes together with eight other species of Longiflorae. For details see under S. Blackii. Type locality: Territory of Amapa (basin of Rio Oiapoque, entre Igarapé Moncherri e Igarapé Nataia), Brazil. Tendrils are absent on the specimens examined but they are shown on an illustration attached to the type deposited at the N.Y. Botanical Garden and which illustration, as per Monachino (l.c.), was provided by Froes. This species doubtless is of Longiflorae, as suggested by Ducke (31: 22). Its fruits are large (4.5-7.5 cm in diam.), seeds are numerous and have crustaceous testa, and its inflorescences are said to be terminal (not seen by me on a single specimen examined), and the combination of these four characters places this species in Longiflorae. In Intermediae, inflorescences are axillary, fruits of all known species are small (less than 3 cm in diam.) and seeds one (or very few) per fruit. Fruits of S. Duckei are not yet known. Fruits and seeds of S. eugeniaefolia are immediately distinguished from those of all known species of Intermediae. In Breviflorae, all known species with seeds which have crustaceous or osseous or cartilaginous testa have small fruits (less than 4 cm in diam.) whereas in S. pachycarpa, S. nigricans, S. Schultesiana and S. malacosperma which have many-seeded large fruits (4.510 cm in diam.) the testa is composed of wool-like fibers. Fruits of S. Bovetiana, S. albiflora and S. oiapocensis are not yet known. Ducke placed this species next to S. Blackii. However, on vegetative characters, it resembles closely S. divaricans and I am tentatively placing it next to this species. Of the American species of Strychnos, this species and S. Schultesiana are the only ones of which the flowers are not yet known. Since our monograph published in 1942, flowers of S. javariensis and S. solimoesana have been collected. The collection of flowering material of S. eugeniaefolia would be of considerable interest.
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Distribution
Distribution: As per Monachino (l.c.), in addition to the type collection (in fruit) it has been collected in the same locality for the second time by Froes and also by Black. I have not seen these two collections. The species doubtless occurs also in adjacent French Guiana.Brazil: Territory of Amapa: basin of Rio Oiapoque (entre Igarapé Moncherri e Nataia), Froes 25844 (type, NY).A bush-rope of 9 cm in diam. from the high forest on low lands of terra-firme. Mature fruits were collected early i
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