Trichilia stipitata T.D.Penn.

  • Authority

    Pennington, Terence D. 1981. Meliaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 28: 1-359, 418-449, 459-470. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Meliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Trichilia stipitata T.D.Penn.

  • Type

    Type. Pennington, Prance, Hill & Ramos 10099, Peru, Dept. Loreto, R. Javari, about 20 m below the R. Curuca, fl (holotype, FHO; isotypes, INPA, NY).

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Rami novelli parce rigido-pubescentes, mox glabri, tandem laeves, nitide brunnei. Perulae nullae. Folia imparipinnata vel pinnata 10-13 cm longa, uno foliolo paris ultimi ad instar folioli terminalis ordinato; petiolus cum rhachide semiteres, glaber; petiolulus 5-6 mm. Foliola subopposita usque alterna, 5, late elliptica usque oblonga, apice abrupte in longum acumen abeuntia, basi asymmetrica, attenuata usque ± truncata, chartacea, 12-13 cm longa, ca. 5 cm lata (foliola terminali paullo majore), ad costam superiorem puberula, cetera glabra, nec glan-duloso-punctata nec -striata; venatio eucamptodroma usque brochidodroma, costa plana; nervi secundarii 8-9 utroque costae latere, arcuato-adscendentes, ± paralleli; nervi intersecundarii et tertiarii obscuri. Inflorescentia axillaris glabra 15-30 cm longa, in paniculam laxe ramosam, paucifloram disposita, ramis late ralibus ad 11 cm longis, recto angulo ab axi patentibus; pedicellus ca. 1.5 mm. Calyx patelliformis, 0.5-1 mm longus, vadosissime 5-lobatus, sparse ciliatus. Petala 5 (interdum 4 uno ad dimidium fisso), libera, paullum imbricata, valde reflexa, ca. 5.5 mm longa, 1.5 mm lata, lanceolata, apice acuta, glabra. Tubus stamineus longe urceolatus, ca. 4 mm longus, ca. 2.5 mm latus, filamentis per 1/2-3/4 longi-tudinem coalitis, apice truncatus, extus glaber, intus pubescens vel glaber; antherae 9-10, ca. 1 mm longae, glabrae. Nectarium lati gynophori instar, minute adpresso-puberulum. Ovarium parvum ovoideum, minute adpresso-puberulum 3-loculare, loculis 2 ovulis collateralibus; stylus a basi ad apicem usque attenuatus, minute puberulus; styli capitulum capitatum, antheris multo brevius. Fructus ignotus.

    Species Description - A small treelet to 5 m with smooth brown bark. The whole plant is subglabrous. The cream-coloured, scentless flowers appear in September and October. A small treelet to 5 m with smooth brown bark. The whole plant is subglabrous. The cream-coloured, scentless flowers appear in September and October.

  • Discussion

    Trichilia stipitata is unique in its lack of indumentum, few leaflets with few widely spaced secondary veins, the large, few-flowered inflorescence with widely spreading branches, flowers with partially free filaments without terminal appendages, and the nectary and ovary structure.

    Relationships

    Trichilia stipitata is an isolated species without close relatives. Among species with partially free filaments and imbricate petals only T. americana (Mexico and Central America) has the nectary in the form of a gynophore, but this species differs in many other vegetative and floral features.

  • Distribution

    Known only from two collections in western Amazonia where it occurs in non-flooded lowland forest.

    Colombia South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America|