Abatia americana (Gardner) Eichler

  • Authority

    Sleumer, Hermann O. 1980. Flacourtiaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 22: 1-499. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Salicaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Abatia americana (Gardner) Eichler

  • Type

    Type. Gardner 5723, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro/Guanabara, Serra dos Orgãos, fl (holotype, K; isotypes, BM, Fl-Webb, G, GH, NY, P, R, W).

  • Synonyms

    Raleighia americana Gardner, Abatia tomentosa Mart., Abatia brasiliensis Baill.

  • Description

    Description - Shrub, up to 2.0 m tall, rarely treelet. Branchlets pale rusty-tomentulose to -tomentose at tips, lower parts gradually glabrescent. Leaves oblong-lanceolate to elliptic, or ovate, apex attenuate to subacuminate, tip subacute, base cuneate to rounded, chartaceous, brownish when dry, softly rusty-strigose-tomentose on both faces initially, generally more densely so beneath, or more laxly hairy on both faces, sometimes early glabrescent, or even subglabrous, the midrib and lateral nerves excepted, rather densely glandular-dentate-serrate (the teeth thickish, often recurved), (3.5-)5.0-10.0 cm long, (1.5-)2.0-5.0 (rarely -6.0) cm broad, lateral nerves (6-)8(-10) pairs rather straight ascendent and excurrent before the edge of the lamina, slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, veins transverse, slightly raised beneath, proper reticulation of veinlets inconspicuous; petiole densely hairy, 5.0-10.0(-20.0) mm long, 1.0-2.0 mm thick. Racemes spiciform, subterminal, erect, dense-flowered, all over densely covered with pale rusty crisp hairs, (5.0-)16.0-40.0 cm long. Flowers solitary, or 2-4 in a fascicle, subtended by subuliform rather persistent bracts 5.0-7.0 mm long; pedicels slender, (2.0-)4.0 mm long. Calyx lobes or sepals 4, subovate-oblong, or lanceolate, subacuminate, deep yellow-orange, rusty-tomentulose outside, glabrous inside, (2.0-)3.0-4.0 mm long, ca 2.0 mm broad, reflexed in anthesis. Stamens (8-)12-16(-20). Ovary densely appressedly hairy; style slender, glabrous, 1.5-3.0 mm long. Capsule ovoid-subglobose, 3.5 mm diam, more or less included by the calyx lobes; seeds numerous, subovoid, apiculate, nigrescent, ca 1.0 mm long.

  • Distribution

    SE Brazil (São Paulo to Espirito Santo: Caparaó, and Minas Gerais); in montane bush vegetation, in open forest, or savannah edge, cerrado, rocky campo, 1600-2800 m alt.

    Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|