Tapura orbicularis Ekman ex Urb.
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Authority
Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Dichapetalaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 10: 1-84. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Dichapetalaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
TYPE. Ekman 15303, Cuba, Oriente, Sierra Nipe, fl (holotype, S; isotypes, G, NY, S).
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Description
Species Description - Small tree, the young branches sparsely puberulous, soon becoming glabrous. Leaves orbicular to broadly obovate, thickly coriaceous, 1.3-2.8 cm long, 1.0-2.0 cm broad, rounded at apex, rounded and equal at base, glabrous beneath; midrib plane above, prominent and glabrous beneath; primary veins 3~5 pairs, arcuate, anastomosing; petioles 1.5-4.0 mm long, glabrous, rugose, terete. Stipules to 1.0 mm long, deltoid, subpersistent. Flowers hermaphrodite, with short pedicels ca 0.5 mm long, borne in pairs or solitary on the upper portion of petioles; bracts to 0.4 mm long, persistent, puberulous, Calyx 2.5-3.0 mm long, puberulous on exterior, the lobes slightly unequal, Corolla included, with 2 large bicucullate lobes, and 3 smaller simple lobes, the lobes shortly connate at base, but not forming a tube, glabrous on exterior, with a few sparsely distributed hairs only within. Fertile stamens 3, alternating with corolla lobes, the anthers borne on very short thick filaments, 2 staminodes present. Ovary trilocular with 2 ovules in each loculus, tomentose on exterior. Styles 3, glabrous. Fruit narrowly oblong, 11.0-20.0 mm long, unilocular or bilocular; epicarp with a short velutinous pubescence; mesocarp thin; endocarp thin, hard, bony, glabrous within.
Distribution and Ecology - Confined to the arid scrublands of the Serpentine Barrens in Cuba. Collected in flower January to September.
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Discussion
This species is quite distinct from all others by the very small orbicular leaves and the two-flowered inflorescence.
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Distribution
Cuba South America| Oriente Cuba South America|