Tapura singularis Ducke

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Dichapetalaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 10: 1-84. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Dichapetalaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tapura singularis Ducke

  • Type

    TYPE. Ducke 1930, Brazil, Pará, Belém, fl (holotype, MG; isotypes, A, F, GH, IAN, K, NY).

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 25.0 m tall, the young branches shortly tomentellous, becoming glabrous with age. Leaves oblong to oblong-lanceolate, coriaceous, 5.0-15.0 cm long, 1.4-4.5 cm broad, acuminate at apex, the acumen 2.0-12.0 mm long, subcuneate and equal to slightly unequal at base, glabrous beneath except for a few stiff appressed hairs; midrib slightly impressed above, prominent beneath and with a stiff appressed pubescence, becoming glabrous with age; primary veins 6-8 pairs, arcuate, anastomosing near margin; petioles 3.0-10.0 mm long, shortly tomentellous, becoming almost glabrous with age, canaliculate to terete, rugose. Stipules lanceolate, to 4.0 mm long, persistent. Flowers hermaphrodite, borne in short axillary cymes, the peduncles 1.0-12.0 mm long, tomentellous; pedicels 1.5-3.0 mm long; bracteoles 0.3-1.5 mm long, triangular, persistent, pubescent. Calyx 4.0-5.0 mm long, shortly pubescent on exterior, the lobes slightly unequal. Corolla far exceeding calyx lobes, with 2 large bicucullate lobes and 3 small simple lobes, all lobes united at base to form a long tube; the tube sparsely pubescent-glabrescent on exterior, filled with a lanate mass of hair within. Fertile stamens 3, alternating with corolla lobes, inserted on corolla tube at base of the lobes, 2 staminodes present. Ovary 3 locular with 2 ovules in each loculus, tomentose on exterior. Style with a trifid apex, pubescent throughout. Fruit globose to ellipsoid, ca 2.0 cm long, with 1 or 2 loculi developing; epicarp with a dense compact velutinous pubescence; mesocarp thin; endocarp very thin, hard, bony, glabrous within.

  • Discussion

    This species differs from all species of Tapura in the axillary inflorescence. The flower structure shows that it belongs to Tapura. It is also the largest species of American Dichapetalaceae, the trunk growing up to one meter in circumference.

  • Distribution

    Confined to forests of eastern Amazonian Brazil on periodically flooded or non-flooded ground.

    Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America|