Monographs Details:
Authority:
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2003. Meliococceae (Sapindaceae):. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 87: 1-178. (Published by NYBG Press)
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2003. Meliococceae (Sapindaceae):
Family:
Sapindaceae
Sapindaceae
Description:
Species Description - Slender tree or treelet, 4-10 m tall; trunk to 8 cm in diam. Stems sulcate, glabrous, lenticellate, usually hollow, inhabited by ants. Leaves paripinnate or imparipinnate, spirally arranged on distal portions of stem; distal process acicular, 5-7 mm long; leaflets (7)11-15, opposite or alternate, oblanceolate, oblong-elliptic, sometimes obovate or falcate, chartaceous, (14-) 17-43 x 4.5-10.5 cm, the adaxial surface glabrous, with prominulous midvein and slightly sunken secondary veins (sometimes bullate), the abaxial surface glabrous or sparingly pubescent, primary and secondary veins prominent, tertiary veins reticulate, prominulous, the apex abruptly acuminate to nearly caudate, the base inequilateral, one side obtuse the other acute or cuneate, the margins undulate; petiolules brownish (drying dark brown), pulvinate, adaxially furrowed, 7-14 mm long; rachis 20-54 cm long, terete, striate to bicarinate on distal portion, glabrous, yellowish brown, glossy; petioles 20-29 cm long, terete, striate, glabrous, enlarged at base. Thyrses panicle-shaped, 20-42 cm long, terminal or axillary on distal part of stem, lateral branches to 15 cm long; cataphylls acicular or pinnate, 1.5-5 cm long, clustered at leaves axils; axes angled, sulcate, sericeous-tomentose; bracts deltate, sericeous-tomentose, ca. 1 mm long; bracteoles similar to the bracts but smaller; dichasia simple or compound; peduncle 5-8 mm long on proximal dichasia, ca. 1 mm on distal dichasia; pedicels 1-1.5 mm long, articulate near the middle, sericeous-tomentose. Calyx 4-7 mm long, abaxially ferruginous-sericeous-tomentose, the sepals 2-3.5 mm long, ovate to rounded, concave, imbricate, abaxially glabrous around the woolly-pubescent margins, adaxially glabrous, the outer sepals shorter than the inner ones; petals white to orangish, 8-9 mm long, elliptic, reflexed at anthesis, abaxially ferruginous-sericeous-tomentose except along upper margins, adaxially papillate, the margins woolly to ciliate, clawed at base, the claw ca. 3.5 mm long, slightly fleshy, white, glabrous; appendage as long as or shorter than the petal, white, erect, connivent, strap-shaped or elongated deltate, sericeous-tomentose on both surfaces; disc 5-lobed, completely or only apically tomentose, ca. 1 mm tall; stamens 8, the filaments white, glabrous, of unequal length, 4-5 mm long, the anthers oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-1.7 mm long, apiculate at apex; ovary ferruginous-tomentose, the stigma ellipsoid, papillate. Fruit maturing yellow, orange-yellow or red, oblong-ellipsoid to nearly globose, apiculate, 2-3.2 cm long, velvety pubescent, becoming glabrous at maturity, the pericarp ca. 1.5 mm thick, coriaceous, smooth or less often granulate. Seed solitary, ellipsoid with lilac, sweet fleshy testa. Embryo with cotyledons diagonally overlapping, the lower one larger than the upper one.
Species Description - Slender tree or treelet, 4-10 m tall; trunk to 8 cm in diam. Stems sulcate, glabrous, lenticellate, usually hollow, inhabited by ants. Leaves paripinnate or imparipinnate, spirally arranged on distal portions of stem; distal process acicular, 5-7 mm long; leaflets (7)11-15, opposite or alternate, oblanceolate, oblong-elliptic, sometimes obovate or falcate, chartaceous, (14-) 17-43 x 4.5-10.5 cm, the adaxial surface glabrous, with prominulous midvein and slightly sunken secondary veins (sometimes bullate), the abaxial surface glabrous or sparingly pubescent, primary and secondary veins prominent, tertiary veins reticulate, prominulous, the apex abruptly acuminate to nearly caudate, the base inequilateral, one side obtuse the other acute or cuneate, the margins undulate; petiolules brownish (drying dark brown), pulvinate, adaxially furrowed, 7-14 mm long; rachis 20-54 cm long, terete, striate to bicarinate on distal portion, glabrous, yellowish brown, glossy; petioles 20-29 cm long, terete, striate, glabrous, enlarged at base. Thyrses panicle-shaped, 20-42 cm long, terminal or axillary on distal part of stem, lateral branches to 15 cm long; cataphylls acicular or pinnate, 1.5-5 cm long, clustered at leaves axils; axes angled, sulcate, sericeous-tomentose; bracts deltate, sericeous-tomentose, ca. 1 mm long; bracteoles similar to the bracts but smaller; dichasia simple or compound; peduncle 5-8 mm long on proximal dichasia, ca. 1 mm on distal dichasia; pedicels 1-1.5 mm long, articulate near the middle, sericeous-tomentose. Calyx 4-7 mm long, abaxially ferruginous-sericeous-tomentose, the sepals 2-3.5 mm long, ovate to rounded, concave, imbricate, abaxially glabrous around the woolly-pubescent margins, adaxially glabrous, the outer sepals shorter than the inner ones; petals white to orangish, 8-9 mm long, elliptic, reflexed at anthesis, abaxially ferruginous-sericeous-tomentose except along upper margins, adaxially papillate, the margins woolly to ciliate, clawed at base, the claw ca. 3.5 mm long, slightly fleshy, white, glabrous; appendage as long as or shorter than the petal, white, erect, connivent, strap-shaped or elongated deltate, sericeous-tomentose on both surfaces; disc 5-lobed, completely or only apically tomentose, ca. 1 mm tall; stamens 8, the filaments white, glabrous, of unequal length, 4-5 mm long, the anthers oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-1.7 mm long, apiculate at apex; ovary ferruginous-tomentose, the stigma ellipsoid, papillate. Fruit maturing yellow, orange-yellow or red, oblong-ellipsoid to nearly globose, apiculate, 2-3.2 cm long, velvety pubescent, becoming glabrous at maturity, the pericarp ca. 1.5 mm thick, coriaceous, smooth or less often granulate. Seed solitary, ellipsoid with lilac, sweet fleshy testa. Embryo with cotyledons diagonally overlapping, the lower one larger than the upper one.
Discussion:
The specific epithet refers to the large leaflets.
The specific epithet refers to the large leaflets.
Phenology. Flowers from June to November and in February and April, and fruits from September to December and from February to April.
Distribution:
Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| Brokopondo Suriname South America| Commewijne Suriname South America| Marowijne Suriname South America| Nickerie Suriname South America| Saramacca Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Approuague-Kaw French Guiana South America| Inini French Guiana South America| Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni French Guiana South America| Cayenne French Guiana South America| Saül French Guiana South America| Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America|
Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| Brokopondo Suriname South America| Commewijne Suriname South America| Marowijne Suriname South America| Nickerie Suriname South America| Saramacca Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Approuague-Kaw French Guiana South America| Inini French Guiana South America| Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni French Guiana South America| Cayenne French Guiana South America| Saül French Guiana South America| Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America|
Common Names:
Pitomba, bété, bosknipa, kraskrastiki, pishico huayo
Pitomba, bété, bosknipa, kraskrastiki, pishico huayo