Nectandra angustifolia (Schrad.) Nees

  • Authority

    Rohwer, Jens G. 1993. Lauraceae: . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 60: 1-332. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Nectandra angustifolia (Schrad.) Nees

  • Type

    Type. Brazil,  auf Felsen im Fluße Belmonte, von Wied-Neuwied 16 (holotype, GOET; isotypes, BR [with no. 28.28], G, GZU s.n., NY s.n.).

  • Synonyms

    Ocotea angustifolia Schrad., Nectandra angustifolia var. falcifolia Nees, Nectandra falcifolia (Nees) J.A.Castigl. ex Mart.Crov. & Piccinini

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs or small trees, up to 12 m tall but already flowering when less than 1.5 m tall. Branchlets 5 cm below terminal bud 0.9-2 mm in diam., initially slightly irregularly angular but quickly becoming terete, with pale, ± short, appressed hairs, moderately dense to very sparse below the terminal bud, quickly (subglabrescent, sometimes glabrous from the beginning; terminal buds narrow, 1-5 mm long, 0.5-1.5 mm in diam., with short to moderately long, ± tightly appressed hairs, dense (sometimes only at the margins). Petioles 2.5-10 mm long, 0.8-1.5 mm thick, irregularly roundish below, canaliculate above, glabrous or with short to moderately long, appressed hairs. Leaves alternate, almost linear, widest between ca. 1/3 and 3/5 from the base but often almost equally wide over much of their length, (4.5-)6-16(-22) cm long, 0.7-1.7(-1.9) cm wide, (5-)6-14(-17) times longer than wide, gradually tapering towards the tip, base narrowly acute to attenuate, margin flat, sometimes very narrowly recurved at the base, midrib level to convex above, raised to prominent below, secondary veins level to slightly raised on both surfaces, 9-15 (?) pairs (scarcely visible, and closer to the tip not distinct from higher order venation), diverging at 35-70°, in mid-lamina running at an angle of 25-60°, tertiary venation very inconspicuous, mixed, with rather weak percurrency if any, reticulate, ± level. Indument none or consisting of ± short, appressed hairs, sparse from the beginning on both sides, but sometimes slightly denser along the midrib, glabrescent. Gland dots rarely visible, and then rather indistinct. Inflorescences in the axils of distal leaves and/or in the axils of scales below the terminal bud or at the base of a young branch, 0.4-0.9 mm in diam. at the base, on a twig of 0.8-2.2 mm diam., 1.8-7.5 cm long, reaching ca. 1/6-2/3 the length of the subtending leaf; peduncle 0.7-4.5 cm long, i.e., 1/3 to 2/3 the length of the inflorescence, sometimes apparently branched from the base (when several inflorescences are arranged on a leafless shoot), lateral branches (0-)2-6(-8) below the terminal cyme or cluster of cymes, branched 0-2 times, indument none or ± short, appressed hairs, sparse to moderately dense on pedicels, sparser on all other parts. Pedicels (1.5-)2.3-5(-6.3) mm long, 0.2-0.6 mm thick. Flowers ca. 4.5-6(-7) mm in diam., tepals ± ovate, ca. 1.6-2.6 mm long and ca. 1.1-1.4(-1.8) mm wide, with fine papillae on the inside surface, never very dense, often only on central part or at the tip. Stamens ca. 0.9-1.4 mm long, including the short filament (ca. 1/5 to 1/2 the length of the anther), anthers weakly papillose or without pa- pillae, mostly ± squarish, not prolonged at the apex, truncate or even slightly emarginate, rarely varying towards pentagonal with a shot but distinct, obtuse sterile tip. Staminodes terete or clavate, reaching 1/3-1# the length of the stamens, sometimes glandular on adaxial side. Pistil ca. 1.4-2 mm long, glabrous, ovary ± ellipsoid, style ca. half as long to ca. as long as the ovary. Receptacle cup-shaped to suburceolate, glabrous inside. Berry ± ellipsoid, 13-15(-20) mm long and 8-10 mm in diam., cupule ± funnel-shaped, 5.5-8 mm in diam., 1-4 mm deep, margin entire, pedicel increasingly thickened towards the cupule.

  • Discussion

    Nectandra angustifolia is the southernmost species in the genus. It is easily recognized by its extremely narrow leaves, which probably are an adaption to seasonal inundation by flowing water. The whole tree is said to look strikingly like a weeping willow. Similar leaves are found in the (mainly) Peruvian N. microcarpa, which differs by a raised reticulation and usually fewer lateral veins, and to a lesser extent in N. wurdackii and in some populations ofN. cuspidata, which differ in several vegetative and floral characters.

    Nectandra angustifolia is closely related to the partly sympatric N. megapotamica. They differ only in the shape and the relative length of their leaves, but still the two appear perfectly separable wherever they occur together. Rarely some leaves in N. megapotamica may be about seven times longer than wide, but in those collections there are also leaves which are less than five times longer than wide or more than 2 cm wide.

    It is not entirely clear whether Nectandra angustifolia really is the correct name for this taxon. The type collection is not typical for the species. It has the typical narrow leaves, but in contrast to the other collections placed here its anthers are not ± truncate at the tip but clearly prolonged, forming an obtuse tip. There is, however, considerable variation in the size of this tip, and in some of the other collections the anthers are slightly apiculate. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that the type is merely an extreme form.

    The type’s geographical origin is equally doubtful. On the label it says that it grows on rocks in the Belmonte river, and Mez assumed that this meant the Rio Jequitinhonha near Belmonte in Bahia. Maximilian Prinz von Wied-Neuwied collected in this locality, but he did not collect within the known range of the species discussed here. We must assume either that Prince Neuwied had obtained the specimen from outside his own area of collection, or that the taxon that it represents has become (locally) extinct. In the latter case there are again two possibilities: the type collection may or may not be accepted as being conspecific with the other collections placed here. If it is not accepted, then this taxon will have to be called Nectandra falcifolia.

  • Common Names

    laurel, laurel negro, laurel bianco, laurel, laurel amarillo, laurel negro, laurel zaihyú

  • Distribution

    Frequent in moist to wet places, especially along rivers, from the western border of the state of Paraná to the La Plata region, mainly in the basin of the Río Paraná. Flowering material has been collected from December to August, with a peak of flowering from February to May. Fruits have been collected from September to March.

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