Monographs Details:
Authority:
Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)
Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Lecythidaceae
Lecythidaceae
Description:
Latin Diagnosis - A ceteris generis speciebus foliis elliptico-ob-longis, chartaceis, cum pagina abaxiali punctatis, inflorescentiis terminalibus, flavopubescentibus, lobis calycis oblongis-ovatis, tenuibus, imbricatis, ad basem gibbosis, flavo-pubescentibus, 11-13 x 9-10 mm, et cucullo androecii ad marginem externum sulcato differt.
Description - Canopy trees, to 30 m tall. Bark brown, with longitudinal fissures, inner bark red to reddish-brown. Leaf blades elliptic to oblong, 12-21.5 x 6-11 cm, glabrous, with abaxial reddish-brown punctae, chartaceous, with 12-16 pairs of lateral veins; apex acute to short acuminate; base obtuse to rounded; margins entire; petiole 8-20 mm long. Inflorescences terminal, simple or weakly once-branched, racemose, with yellowish pubescence, the principal rachis 9-12 cm long, the pedicel 57 mm long. Flowers 4-5 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes very widely to widely oblong or very widely to widely ovate, 11-13 x 9-10 mm, ascending, imbricate to ½ length, thin, slightly gibbous at base, flat to slightly convex abaxially, flat to slightly concave adaxially; petals six, white, irregularly widely to narrowly obovate, 27-39 x 17-22 mm; hood of androecium ca. 20 x 20 mm, with distinct double coil, pale yellow, with a poorly developed, external marginal groove between appendages and hood proper; staminal ring asymmetric, with ca. 215 stamens, the filaments 1.5-2 mm long, not markedly clavate, the anthers 0.8 mm long; hypanthium abruptly constricted into well-defined pedicel, yellowish pubescent; ovary 2-locular, each with 8-16 ovules in 1-2 rows from floor of locule, the style obconical, often oblique, 2.5-3 mm long. Fruits broadly turbinate, the calycine ring inserted at or above middle, the supracalycine zone erect, the infracalycine zone rounded to cuneate, 4-5 x 6-7.5 cm (excluding pedicel and operculum), the pedicel persistent, asymmetrically attached, the operculum flat to slightly convex, with slight umbo, the pericarp to 10 mm thick, the exocarp light brown, rough.
Latin Diagnosis - A ceteris generis speciebus foliis elliptico-ob-longis, chartaceis, cum pagina abaxiali punctatis, inflorescentiis terminalibus, flavopubescentibus, lobis calycis oblongis-ovatis, tenuibus, imbricatis, ad basem gibbosis, flavo-pubescentibus, 11-13 x 9-10 mm, et cucullo androecii ad marginem externum sulcato differt.
Description - Canopy trees, to 30 m tall. Bark brown, with longitudinal fissures, inner bark red to reddish-brown. Leaf blades elliptic to oblong, 12-21.5 x 6-11 cm, glabrous, with abaxial reddish-brown punctae, chartaceous, with 12-16 pairs of lateral veins; apex acute to short acuminate; base obtuse to rounded; margins entire; petiole 8-20 mm long. Inflorescences terminal, simple or weakly once-branched, racemose, with yellowish pubescence, the principal rachis 9-12 cm long, the pedicel 57 mm long. Flowers 4-5 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes very widely to widely oblong or very widely to widely ovate, 11-13 x 9-10 mm, ascending, imbricate to ½ length, thin, slightly gibbous at base, flat to slightly convex abaxially, flat to slightly concave adaxially; petals six, white, irregularly widely to narrowly obovate, 27-39 x 17-22 mm; hood of androecium ca. 20 x 20 mm, with distinct double coil, pale yellow, with a poorly developed, external marginal groove between appendages and hood proper; staminal ring asymmetric, with ca. 215 stamens, the filaments 1.5-2 mm long, not markedly clavate, the anthers 0.8 mm long; hypanthium abruptly constricted into well-defined pedicel, yellowish pubescent; ovary 2-locular, each with 8-16 ovules in 1-2 rows from floor of locule, the style obconical, often oblique, 2.5-3 mm long. Fruits broadly turbinate, the calycine ring inserted at or above middle, the supracalycine zone erect, the infracalycine zone rounded to cuneate, 4-5 x 6-7.5 cm (excluding pedicel and operculum), the pedicel persistent, asymmetrically attached, the operculum flat to slightly convex, with slight umbo, the pericarp to 10 mm thick, the exocarp light brown, rough.
Discussion:
The fruits of E. roraimensis resemble those of E. coriacea. Nevertheless, the yellowish pubescence of the inflorescence, hypanthium, and calyx; the relatively large and thin Calyx-lobes; and the very slight, external marginal groove between the hood appendages and the hood proper distinguish the new species from this and other species of the genus. Eschweilera ovalifolia, a riverine species of the upper Amazon and Solimões Rivers, has a similar but more pronounced marginal groove. The new species differs from E. ovalifolia in many aspects, including larger leaves, nearly sessile flowers, much smaller and differently shaped Calyx-lobes, and depressed globose fruits.Most Amazonian species of Eschweilera are confined to the lowlands. Although some 14 species of the genus are known to occur at altitudes over 1000 m, most of these are species of the Andes (Prance & Mori, 1979). Consequently, the occurrence of E. roraimensis in submontane forest and submontane cloud forest (Prance in Huber et al., 1984) is rare among the Amazonian members of the genus.Huber et al. (1984) point out that, even though the Serra Parima has only been superficially botanized, a limited number of species appear to be endemic to this mountain range. Eschweilera roraimensis adds to the number of endemic species from the Serra Parima.
The fruits of E. roraimensis resemble those of E. coriacea. Nevertheless, the yellowish pubescence of the inflorescence, hypanthium, and calyx; the relatively large and thin Calyx-lobes; and the very slight, external marginal groove between the hood appendages and the hood proper distinguish the new species from this and other species of the genus. Eschweilera ovalifolia, a riverine species of the upper Amazon and Solimões Rivers, has a similar but more pronounced marginal groove. The new species differs from E. ovalifolia in many aspects, including larger leaves, nearly sessile flowers, much smaller and differently shaped Calyx-lobes, and depressed globose fruits.Most Amazonian species of Eschweilera are confined to the lowlands. Although some 14 species of the genus are known to occur at altitudes over 1000 m, most of these are species of the Andes (Prance & Mori, 1979). Consequently, the occurrence of E. roraimensis in submontane forest and submontane cloud forest (Prance in Huber et al., 1984) is rare among the Amazonian members of the genus.Huber et al. (1984) point out that, even though the Serra Parima has only been superficially botanized, a limited number of species appear to be endemic to this mountain range. Eschweilera roraimensis adds to the number of endemic species from the Serra Parima.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America|
Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America|