Lacistema grandifolium Schnizl.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Lacistemataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lacistema grandifolium Schnizl.

  • Type

    Types. Poiteau anno 1814, French Guiana, probably from Cayenne, fl (hololectotype, B, lost; isolectotype, G);  Gardner 1266, Brazil (syntype, W, lost, apparently mixed up by Schnizlein with Hostmann (& Kappler) 1266); Hostmann (& Kappler) 1266, Suriname, fl (syntypes, BM, G, GH, K, MO, NY, S, U).

  • Synonyms

    Lacistema ellipticum Schnizl.

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrub or small tree, sometimes up to 18.0 m high; trunk up to 13.0 m diam. Branchlets slender, brown- or fulvous-tomentose at tips as are petioles and stipules. Leaves elliptic or elliptic-oblong, apex rather abruptly and shortly acuminate, base more or less broadly attenuate to truncate or rounded, chartaceous, brown when dry, shortly brown- or fulvous-tomentose on both faces initially, early glabrescent and finally a little lustrous above, remaining tomentose and soft to the touch beneath, entire, edge slightly revolute, (9.0-)12.0-19.0(-21.0) cm long, (2.5-)4.5-8.0(-11.0) cm broad, lateral nerves 6-8 pairs prominent beneath, veins transverse, more or less obscured by the tomentum beneath as are the veinlets; petiole 4.0-9.0 mm long; stipules subulate, (4.0-)6.0-10.0 mm long, caducous. Spikes 15-30 per axil, greenish-yellow or sordid-white, 12.0-25.0(-30.0) mm long, ca 1.0 mm diam, the upper flowers only fertile; rhachis rather loosely set with flowers, well visible at full anthesis, sparsely hairy; flower-subtending bract rhombic-ovate, subentire, glabrous. Sepals different in shape and number in the same inflorescence, mostly 1, opposite to the stamen, or sometimes 2-4, linear to ovate, dentate. Disk small, fleshy, flat, undulate. Ovary densely patently hairy; style elongate (ca 0.7 mm), with 3 stigmas. Capsule subovoid-triquetrous, with an acute apex bearing the stigmas, reddish-brown to almost blackish, hairy though finally somewhat glabrescent, 6.0-10.0 mm long, dehiscent by 3 valves; seed white, ca 5.0 mm long.

  • Distribution

    Suriname, French Guiana and adjacent Amazonian Brazil; in upland rain forest, often along river, also in secondary forest, on sandy or lateritic soil, at low elevations.

    Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America| Mato Grosso Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|