Monographs Details:
Authority:

Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.
Family:

Lauraceae
Description:

Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. A tree or shrub, the many-flowered inflorescences of which are ferruginous-tomentellous with dioecious flowers, occurring in French and Dutch Guiana, possibly in Brazil according to Mez, and the Venezuelan material cited below extending the range into the crystalline shield areas of the latter area.

Discussion:

Laurus canaliculata Eichard, Act. Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris 1: 108. 1792.

Oreodaphne cayennensis Meissner in DC. Prodr. 15: 133. 1864. (holotype, [male]fl, Patris?)

Type. Batava ad flumen Para, Richard (holotype 5 fl.).

Vernacular Name. Laurelillo (Wurdack & Monachino).

The taxon here considered agrees in all respects with the fragment of the type of Oreodaphne cayennensis which Mez has assigned to O. canaliculata, but does not appear to be the same as the specimen in the photograph of ''Patris?." If there is a discrepancy the earlier name should, of course, be applied to the material that has been going under the name of O. canaliculata for the past half-century. Examination of the type (Patris f) is necessary to resolve the nomenclatural problem, and Richard's specimen should retain the epithet ''canaliculata.''

Distribution:

Suriname South America| Venezuela South America| French Guiana South America| Guyana South America| Brazil South America|