Monographs Details:
Authority:
Kubitzki, K. & Renner, Susanne S. 1982. Lauraceae I (Aniba and Aiouea). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 31: 1-125. (Published by NYBG Press)
Kubitzki, K. & Renner, Susanne S. 1982. Lauraceae I (Aniba and Aiouea). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 31: 1-125. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Lauraceae
Lauraceae
Description:
Species Description - Shrub or buttressed tree to 25 m; branchlets minutely tomentellous, glabrescent, 2-3 mm thick; terminal bud ca. 5 mm long, tomentellous. Leaves evenly distributed along branchlets, chartaceous or coriaceous, lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, 13-25 x 4-9 cm, base acute, margin slightly recurved, apex acuminate, glabrous, ± shiny above, dull, microscopically papillose, sparsely pilose, glabrescent, midrib prominent beneath, nerves 10-14 per side, prominulous, slightly arcuate, veins reticulate, prominulous; petioles densely or laxly tomentellous, canaliculate, 0.8-1.5 cm long. Panicles in the axils of persistent leaves and caducous bracts, many-flowered, rusty-tomentellous, 8-14 cm long. Flowers ca. 2.2 x 1.8 mm, minutely rusty-tomentellous; floral tube slightly contracted below tepals, subglabrous or minutely sericeous inside; pedicels 0.5-4 mm long; tepals erect, fleshy, inside at lower half appressed-pubescent, outer ones ovate, margin ciliate, 1-1.2 mm long, inner ones suborbicular or spathulate, equal in size or slightly larger, margin fimbriate; stamens included, ca. 1 mm long, outer ones with broad anthers and ventral-lateral cells (the connectives protruding beyond them), tapering into the hirsute filaments, inner stamens with subglobose, truncate anthers, dorsal cells and broad, hirsute filaments provided with large basal glands; staminodes absent; pistil 1.5-1.8 mm long, minutely pubescent, style about as long as ovary, relatively thick, stigma minute, truncate. Berry ellipsoid, 1-1.5 x 0.8-1 cm; cupule cyathiform, 0.8 x 0.9-1.0 cm, outside verruculous, margin undulate.
Species Description - Shrub or buttressed tree to 25 m; branchlets minutely tomentellous, glabrescent, 2-3 mm thick; terminal bud ca. 5 mm long, tomentellous. Leaves evenly distributed along branchlets, chartaceous or coriaceous, lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, 13-25 x 4-9 cm, base acute, margin slightly recurved, apex acuminate, glabrous, ± shiny above, dull, microscopically papillose, sparsely pilose, glabrescent, midrib prominent beneath, nerves 10-14 per side, prominulous, slightly arcuate, veins reticulate, prominulous; petioles densely or laxly tomentellous, canaliculate, 0.8-1.5 cm long. Panicles in the axils of persistent leaves and caducous bracts, many-flowered, rusty-tomentellous, 8-14 cm long. Flowers ca. 2.2 x 1.8 mm, minutely rusty-tomentellous; floral tube slightly contracted below tepals, subglabrous or minutely sericeous inside; pedicels 0.5-4 mm long; tepals erect, fleshy, inside at lower half appressed-pubescent, outer ones ovate, margin ciliate, 1-1.2 mm long, inner ones suborbicular or spathulate, equal in size or slightly larger, margin fimbriate; stamens included, ca. 1 mm long, outer ones with broad anthers and ventral-lateral cells (the connectives protruding beyond them), tapering into the hirsute filaments, inner stamens with subglobose, truncate anthers, dorsal cells and broad, hirsute filaments provided with large basal glands; staminodes absent; pistil 1.5-1.8 mm long, minutely pubescent, style about as long as ovary, relatively thick, stigma minute, truncate. Berry ellipsoid, 1-1.5 x 0.8-1 cm; cupule cyathiform, 0.8 x 0.9-1.0 cm, outside verruculous, margin undulate.
Discussion:
This widely distributed species is quite variable. The leaves are mostly lanceolate and medium-sized (blade 8-10 cm long) and the nerves little prominent beneath. There are, however, collections from nearly throughout the distribution with obovate leaves and strongly prominent lateral nerves but without distinguishing floral characters. A distinct group of specimens with rather large leaves (blade to 30 cm long) has been collected from the vicinity of Belem. In the “Campina” vegetation and adjacent secondary growth in central Amazonia, there are specimens (e.g. Prance 3810) which have narrow, long-acuminate, fragrant leaves which are strongly brownish-yellow on the lower surface and which have thin peduncles and pedicels at anthesis. This narrow-leaved form, characteristic of more open habitats, has probably originated in response to its special habitat. It is linked with the “normal” type, which grows in forest, by transitional forms which are documented by the abundant material of Ducke 1439.Dehiscence of the anther cells of whorl III can be incomplete, which results in crescent-shaped pores (as is normal in species 1-11), or, for example in INPA 4306 and Prance 2841, small with erect valves (as in species 16-41).The southernmost specimen of A. burchellii (Heringer 379) differs by possessing glabrous ovaries.
This widely distributed species is quite variable. The leaves are mostly lanceolate and medium-sized (blade 8-10 cm long) and the nerves little prominent beneath. There are, however, collections from nearly throughout the distribution with obovate leaves and strongly prominent lateral nerves but without distinguishing floral characters. A distinct group of specimens with rather large leaves (blade to 30 cm long) has been collected from the vicinity of Belem. In the “Campina” vegetation and adjacent secondary growth in central Amazonia, there are specimens (e.g. Prance 3810) which have narrow, long-acuminate, fragrant leaves which are strongly brownish-yellow on the lower surface and which have thin peduncles and pedicels at anthesis. This narrow-leaved form, characteristic of more open habitats, has probably originated in response to its special habitat. It is linked with the “normal” type, which grows in forest, by transitional forms which are documented by the abundant material of Ducke 1439.Dehiscence of the anther cells of whorl III can be incomplete, which results in crescent-shaped pores (as is normal in species 1-11), or, for example in INPA 4306 and Prance 2841, small with erect valves (as in species 16-41).The southernmost specimen of A. burchellii (Heringer 379) differs by possessing glabrous ovaries.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|
Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|