Monographs Details:
Authority:
Berg, Cornelius C. 1972. Olmedieae, Brosimeae (Moraceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 7: 1-229. (Published by NYBG Press)
Berg, Cornelius C. 1972. Olmedieae, Brosimeae (Moraceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 7: 1-229. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Moraceae
Moraceae
Synonyms:
Ogcodeia, Acanthosphaera Warb., Palmolmedia, Oncodeia Bureau, Naucleopsis glabra Spruce ex Pittier, Acanthosphaera ulei Warb., Tramoia Schwacke & Taub. ex Glaz., Palmolmedia stipularis Ducke, Naucleopsis stipularis Ducke, Naucleopsis macrophylla Miq.
Ogcodeia, Acanthosphaera Warb., Palmolmedia, Oncodeia Bureau, Naucleopsis glabra Spruce ex Pittier, Acanthosphaera ulei Warb., Tramoia Schwacke & Taub. ex Glaz., Palmolmedia stipularis Ducke, Naucleopsis stipularis Ducke, Naucleopsis macrophylla Miq.
Description:
Description - Dioecious, rarely monoecious trees. Leaves mostly not or slightly inequilateral, usually coriaceous to subcoriaceous, always entire, mostly glabrous, pluricellular hairs oblongoid-capitate, not frequent; tertiary veins seldom distinctly parallel; stipules fully amplexicaul, free, caducous or subpersistent. Staminate inflorescences often up to 4 together, discoid or about cup-shaped, mostly pedunculate; inner involucral bracts often more or less petaloid, covering the flowers before anthesis; flowers free or basally connate; tepals 0-8, mostly ca 4, free or basally connate, often more or less cucullate to subpeltate, puberulous at the margin and outside; stamens 1-4, straight in the bud, connectives mostly broad. Pistillate inflorescences solitary, discoid to hemispherical, sessile or shortly pedunculate, many- to few-flowered, rarely one-flowered; tepals 3-10, mostly 4-6, completely connate, basally connate or free, more or less similar to the pseudobracts, puberulous; ovary entirely immersed in the receptacle, stigmas filiform, vittiform, or linguiform; pseudobracts peripheral, also among the flowers, or lacking, cushion-shaped, pyramidate, spine-like, subulate or clavate. Infructescences hemispherical to subglobose, tepals and pseudobracts more or less enlarged, hardened, and more or less angular; fruit embedded in the pulpy receptacle; seed ellipsoid to subglobose, hilum terminal, (sub)orbiculate, large.
Description - Dioecious, rarely monoecious trees. Leaves mostly not or slightly inequilateral, usually coriaceous to subcoriaceous, always entire, mostly glabrous, pluricellular hairs oblongoid-capitate, not frequent; tertiary veins seldom distinctly parallel; stipules fully amplexicaul, free, caducous or subpersistent. Staminate inflorescences often up to 4 together, discoid or about cup-shaped, mostly pedunculate; inner involucral bracts often more or less petaloid, covering the flowers before anthesis; flowers free or basally connate; tepals 0-8, mostly ca 4, free or basally connate, often more or less cucullate to subpeltate, puberulous at the margin and outside; stamens 1-4, straight in the bud, connectives mostly broad. Pistillate inflorescences solitary, discoid to hemispherical, sessile or shortly pedunculate, many- to few-flowered, rarely one-flowered; tepals 3-10, mostly 4-6, completely connate, basally connate or free, more or less similar to the pseudobracts, puberulous; ovary entirely immersed in the receptacle, stigmas filiform, vittiform, or linguiform; pseudobracts peripheral, also among the flowers, or lacking, cushion-shaped, pyramidate, spine-like, subulate or clavate. Infructescences hemispherical to subglobose, tepals and pseudobracts more or less enlarged, hardened, and more or less angular; fruit embedded in the pulpy receptacle; seed ellipsoid to subglobose, hilum terminal, (sub)orbiculate, large.
Discussion:
History.The genus Naueleopsis was established by Miquel (1853), who described N. macrophylla. The description was accompanied by figures of the leafy twig and the pistillate inflorescences. Bureau (1873) established the genus Ogcodeia. The diagnosis of this genus was based on the pistillate inflorescences of Spruce 2793, several sheets of which were labelled Naueleopsis glabra. Bureau did not describe any species. Baillon (1887) regarded Ogcodeia as a section of Naueleopsis, with misgivings. He published the name Naueleopsis glabra.Bentham (1880) united both Naueleopsis and Ogcodeia (as Oncodeia) with Noyera Trécul. Engler (1889) reduced Noyera sensu Bentham to a section of Perebea Aublet. The figures of the pistillate inflorescences of N. macrophylla reproduced from the Flora Brasiliensis were captioned "Perebea laurifolia". According to Pittier (1912) Miquel's description and figures of the pistillate inflorescence of N. macrophylla were fictitious, as they suggest the occurrence of distinct perianths. Pittier modified Miquel's description with regard to the pistillate inflorescence and brought it in accordance with details obtained from the description of Ogcodeia and his new species Naueleopsis naga, thus treating Naueleopsis and Ogcodeia not as distinct genera. Mildbraed (1927) regarded the original description and figures of N. macrophylla as correct and retained Ogcodeia as a distinct genus. In his opinion Naueleopsis was characterized by pistillate flowers with distinct perianths, whereas in Ogcodeia the receptacle of the pistillate inflorescences was covered with processes, called pseudo-bracteoles, which do not show any distinct correlation with the pistils. Mildbraed transferred both N. glabra and N. naga to Ogcodeia. Subsequently, in 1927 and 1932, he described several new species in Ogcodeia.In 1907 Warburg established the genus Acanthosphaera with A. ulei. Pittier (1912) did not mention Acanthosphaera in his survey of the neotropical Olmedieae. Mildbraed (1927) regarded Acanthosphaera as a distinct genus related to Ogcodeia. Ducke (1922) transferred A. ulei to Naucleopsis, whereas Macbride (1931) transferred it to Ogcodeia. In 1939 Ducke re-established the genus Acanthosphaera on account of characters of the staminate inflorescences and recognized two species, A. ulei and A. amara. He had described the latter species as Naucleopsis amara in 1925 and had transferred it to Ogcodeia in 1930. He followed Mildbraed in distinguishing Naucleopsis and Ogcodeia.Ducke (1939) recognized a fourth, monotypic genus, Palmolmedia, and considered it to be intermediate between Naucleopsis and Acanthosphaera. Palmolmedia stipularis, previously described as Naucleopsis stipularis, was segregated mainly on account of its remarkable habit, being rarely branched and bearing comal tufts of leaves. In a comment Ducke put forward the possibility of treating Naucleopsis, Ogcodeia, Acanthosphaera, and Palmolmedia as sections of Naucleopsis sensu latiore.Twenty two species have been described within this group of genera. Some of them have been transferred once or twice owing to the different opinions about the delimitation of the genera. Eighteen species are distinguished in the present paper; two of them are new. Habit.The representatives of Naucleopsis are small or medium-sized trees. N. stipularis has a remarkable habit; it is a 3-6 m tall, unbranched or little branched tree with a tuft of leaves at the tips of the stem or branches. It resembles some Ficus species. Twigs.The twigs soon become glabrous. In a number of species the periderm is mostly greyish and more or less irregularly wrinkled; its outer layer peels off more or less, the older parts of the twigs bearing small isolated flakes of the outer layer of the periderm which are still covered by the original indument. Indument.Three kinds of hairs can be distinguished. Firstly, slender unicellular hairs on the twigs, the leaves, the stipules, the outer surface of the involucral bracts, and often on the perianth of the pistillate flowers and the pseudobracts. Secondly, very short, unicellular, basally swollen hairs on the involucral bracts (also on their inner surface), the perianth of the staminate flowers, and often on the perianth of the pistillate flowers and the pseudobracts. Thirdly, pluricellular hairs with oblongoid heads. They are scarce or absent in many species. The indument of the twigs and the involucre may be variable. Leaves.As a rule the leaf margin gradually passes into the edges of the channel of the petioles. By this character most Naucleopsis species can be recognized as members of the genus. Characters of the venation can be used for diagnostic purposes.Staminate inflorescences.The short shoots are mostly inconspicuous. The number of inflorescences in the axils of the leaves is mostly restricted to four. The inflorescences are pedunculate, except in JV. amara. In many species the inner involucral bracts are large and more or less petaloid, so that the inflorescences resemble true flowers, like those of Ternstroemia and Tovomita. The receptacles are plane or more or less cup-shaped, at least in JV. amara, JV. krukovii, and JV. ulei. In these species the flowers as well as the tepals are basally connate. As far as known the flowers and tepals are free from each other, except in JV. macrophylla where the tepals may be slightly connate at the base. The number of tepals is variable, even in the same inflorescence. The peripheral flowers usually have fewer tepals than the central ones. In some cases they are wanting in cue peripheral flowers. The number of stamens, varies between one and four as in the tepals, the number of stamens tends to be smaller in the peripheral flowers. Reduced or depauperate stamens are often met with, especially in peripheral flowers. In several species the number of stamens is small in all flowers. The genus shows reduction tendencies with regard to the number of stamens and tepals. On the other hand in several species the number of tepals of the central flowers is greater than the normal number four. The floral parts are remarkably large in JV. stipularis.Pistillate inflorescences.These are nearly always solitary, but occasionally geminate or accompanied by staminate ones (JV. krukovii and JV. ulei). The receptacle is plane or convex. The ovaries are completely immersed in the receptacle. A number of species have distinct flowers with completely or only basally connate tepals, the number of which varies from four to ten. In other species there are no distinct perianths. In these the receptacles are covered by free processes of about uniform shape, among which the pistils are scattered. The shape of the processes is variable, but they are often more or less spine-like. Those surrounding the styles are called tepals in this paper, the others are called pseudobracts. As already discussed in the account of the general morphology of the neotropical Olmedieae, the pseudobracts of the central part of the receptacle can be regarded as derivations of the perianths, at least partly, and the peripheral ones as modified involucral bracts. In some species of the latter group (JV. glabra and JV. imitans) the tepals are sometimes slightly connate at the base. In few-flowered species or specimens as a rule only few pseudobracts are found among the flowers. In the group of species with distinct perianths the pseudobracts (modified inner involucral bracts) are confined to the periphery of the receptacle, although pseudobracts (probably derived from the perianths) may also occur in small number among the flowers. In N. jamariensis, however, a large number of pseudobracts is found among the flowers. In N. concinna the tepals are entirely connate and pseudobracts are absent; the inner involucral bracts which are scale-like at anthesis are thickened and more or less cushion-shaped in fruit. Several types of inflorescences are shown in Fig 41. For the sake of a uniform terminology all processes which do not distinctly belong to the perianths or the scale-like involucral bracts are called pseudobracts. The peripheral pseudobracts often pass gradually into the scale-like involucral bracts.In some species (eg JV. caloneura, JV. glabra, and JV. guianensis) the number of flowers varies strikingly; it appears to be positively correlated with the length of the tepals, the pseudobracts, and the stigmas, which is also variable in these species.The characters of the pistillate inflorescences and, to a larger degree, those of the infructescences are important for the delimitation of the species. These characters are the number of flowers, the perianth, and the occurrence, arrangement, and shape of the pseudobracts. In several species, however, considerable variation in these characters is observed.With regard to the pistillate inflorescences some variation trends can be traced: a decrease in the number of flowers; an increase in the number of tepals and inner involucral bracts, and a disintegration of the perianths. Inflorescences like those of JV. macrophylla, JV. riparia, and JV. concinna may be regarded as the less advanced ones.Infructescences.During maturation the tepals and pseudobracts enlarge and harden; the shape of the pseudobracts changes more or less. According to annotations on labels the mature infructescences seem to be yellow. Those of JV. mello-barretoi were described as red.
History.The genus Naueleopsis was established by Miquel (1853), who described N. macrophylla. The description was accompanied by figures of the leafy twig and the pistillate inflorescences. Bureau (1873) established the genus Ogcodeia. The diagnosis of this genus was based on the pistillate inflorescences of Spruce 2793, several sheets of which were labelled Naueleopsis glabra. Bureau did not describe any species. Baillon (1887) regarded Ogcodeia as a section of Naueleopsis, with misgivings. He published the name Naueleopsis glabra.Bentham (1880) united both Naueleopsis and Ogcodeia (as Oncodeia) with Noyera Trécul. Engler (1889) reduced Noyera sensu Bentham to a section of Perebea Aublet. The figures of the pistillate inflorescences of N. macrophylla reproduced from the Flora Brasiliensis were captioned "Perebea laurifolia". According to Pittier (1912) Miquel's description and figures of the pistillate inflorescence of N. macrophylla were fictitious, as they suggest the occurrence of distinct perianths. Pittier modified Miquel's description with regard to the pistillate inflorescence and brought it in accordance with details obtained from the description of Ogcodeia and his new species Naueleopsis naga, thus treating Naueleopsis and Ogcodeia not as distinct genera. Mildbraed (1927) regarded the original description and figures of N. macrophylla as correct and retained Ogcodeia as a distinct genus. In his opinion Naueleopsis was characterized by pistillate flowers with distinct perianths, whereas in Ogcodeia the receptacle of the pistillate inflorescences was covered with processes, called pseudo-bracteoles, which do not show any distinct correlation with the pistils. Mildbraed transferred both N. glabra and N. naga to Ogcodeia. Subsequently, in 1927 and 1932, he described several new species in Ogcodeia.In 1907 Warburg established the genus Acanthosphaera with A. ulei. Pittier (1912) did not mention Acanthosphaera in his survey of the neotropical Olmedieae. Mildbraed (1927) regarded Acanthosphaera as a distinct genus related to Ogcodeia. Ducke (1922) transferred A. ulei to Naucleopsis, whereas Macbride (1931) transferred it to Ogcodeia. In 1939 Ducke re-established the genus Acanthosphaera on account of characters of the staminate inflorescences and recognized two species, A. ulei and A. amara. He had described the latter species as Naucleopsis amara in 1925 and had transferred it to Ogcodeia in 1930. He followed Mildbraed in distinguishing Naucleopsis and Ogcodeia.Ducke (1939) recognized a fourth, monotypic genus, Palmolmedia, and considered it to be intermediate between Naucleopsis and Acanthosphaera. Palmolmedia stipularis, previously described as Naucleopsis stipularis, was segregated mainly on account of its remarkable habit, being rarely branched and bearing comal tufts of leaves. In a comment Ducke put forward the possibility of treating Naucleopsis, Ogcodeia, Acanthosphaera, and Palmolmedia as sections of Naucleopsis sensu latiore.Twenty two species have been described within this group of genera. Some of them have been transferred once or twice owing to the different opinions about the delimitation of the genera. Eighteen species are distinguished in the present paper; two of them are new. Habit.The representatives of Naucleopsis are small or medium-sized trees. N. stipularis has a remarkable habit; it is a 3-6 m tall, unbranched or little branched tree with a tuft of leaves at the tips of the stem or branches. It resembles some Ficus species. Twigs.The twigs soon become glabrous. In a number of species the periderm is mostly greyish and more or less irregularly wrinkled; its outer layer peels off more or less, the older parts of the twigs bearing small isolated flakes of the outer layer of the periderm which are still covered by the original indument. Indument.Three kinds of hairs can be distinguished. Firstly, slender unicellular hairs on the twigs, the leaves, the stipules, the outer surface of the involucral bracts, and often on the perianth of the pistillate flowers and the pseudobracts. Secondly, very short, unicellular, basally swollen hairs on the involucral bracts (also on their inner surface), the perianth of the staminate flowers, and often on the perianth of the pistillate flowers and the pseudobracts. Thirdly, pluricellular hairs with oblongoid heads. They are scarce or absent in many species. The indument of the twigs and the involucre may be variable. Leaves.As a rule the leaf margin gradually passes into the edges of the channel of the petioles. By this character most Naucleopsis species can be recognized as members of the genus. Characters of the venation can be used for diagnostic purposes.Staminate inflorescences.The short shoots are mostly inconspicuous. The number of inflorescences in the axils of the leaves is mostly restricted to four. The inflorescences are pedunculate, except in JV. amara. In many species the inner involucral bracts are large and more or less petaloid, so that the inflorescences resemble true flowers, like those of Ternstroemia and Tovomita. The receptacles are plane or more or less cup-shaped, at least in JV. amara, JV. krukovii, and JV. ulei. In these species the flowers as well as the tepals are basally connate. As far as known the flowers and tepals are free from each other, except in JV. macrophylla where the tepals may be slightly connate at the base. The number of tepals is variable, even in the same inflorescence. The peripheral flowers usually have fewer tepals than the central ones. In some cases they are wanting in cue peripheral flowers. The number of stamens, varies between one and four as in the tepals, the number of stamens tends to be smaller in the peripheral flowers. Reduced or depauperate stamens are often met with, especially in peripheral flowers. In several species the number of stamens is small in all flowers. The genus shows reduction tendencies with regard to the number of stamens and tepals. On the other hand in several species the number of tepals of the central flowers is greater than the normal number four. The floral parts are remarkably large in JV. stipularis.Pistillate inflorescences.These are nearly always solitary, but occasionally geminate or accompanied by staminate ones (JV. krukovii and JV. ulei). The receptacle is plane or convex. The ovaries are completely immersed in the receptacle. A number of species have distinct flowers with completely or only basally connate tepals, the number of which varies from four to ten. In other species there are no distinct perianths. In these the receptacles are covered by free processes of about uniform shape, among which the pistils are scattered. The shape of the processes is variable, but they are often more or less spine-like. Those surrounding the styles are called tepals in this paper, the others are called pseudobracts. As already discussed in the account of the general morphology of the neotropical Olmedieae, the pseudobracts of the central part of the receptacle can be regarded as derivations of the perianths, at least partly, and the peripheral ones as modified involucral bracts. In some species of the latter group (JV. glabra and JV. imitans) the tepals are sometimes slightly connate at the base. In few-flowered species or specimens as a rule only few pseudobracts are found among the flowers. In the group of species with distinct perianths the pseudobracts (modified inner involucral bracts) are confined to the periphery of the receptacle, although pseudobracts (probably derived from the perianths) may also occur in small number among the flowers. In N. jamariensis, however, a large number of pseudobracts is found among the flowers. In N. concinna the tepals are entirely connate and pseudobracts are absent; the inner involucral bracts which are scale-like at anthesis are thickened and more or less cushion-shaped in fruit. Several types of inflorescences are shown in Fig 41. For the sake of a uniform terminology all processes which do not distinctly belong to the perianths or the scale-like involucral bracts are called pseudobracts. The peripheral pseudobracts often pass gradually into the scale-like involucral bracts.In some species (eg JV. caloneura, JV. glabra, and JV. guianensis) the number of flowers varies strikingly; it appears to be positively correlated with the length of the tepals, the pseudobracts, and the stigmas, which is also variable in these species.The characters of the pistillate inflorescences and, to a larger degree, those of the infructescences are important for the delimitation of the species. These characters are the number of flowers, the perianth, and the occurrence, arrangement, and shape of the pseudobracts. In several species, however, considerable variation in these characters is observed.With regard to the pistillate inflorescences some variation trends can be traced: a decrease in the number of flowers; an increase in the number of tepals and inner involucral bracts, and a disintegration of the perianths. Inflorescences like those of JV. macrophylla, JV. riparia, and JV. concinna may be regarded as the less advanced ones.Infructescences.During maturation the tepals and pseudobracts enlarge and harden; the shape of the pseudobracts changes more or less. According to annotations on labels the mature infructescences seem to be yellow. Those of JV. mello-barretoi were described as red.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Colombia South America| French Guiana South America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America|
Brazil South America| Colombia South America| French Guiana South America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America|