Aniba riparia (Nees) Mez

  • Authority

    Kubitzki, K. & Renner, Susanne S. 1982. Lauraceae I (Aniba and Aiouea). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 31: 1-125. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Aniba riparia (Nees) Mez

  • Synonyms

    Aydendron riparium Nees

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree to 16 m. Branchlets rather slender, 2 mm thick, minutely rusty-tomentellous, sulcate; branches glabrescent, lenticellate; terminal bud rusty-tomentellous, 3 mm long. Leaves evenly distributed along branchlets, chartaceous, elliptic or (obovate-)lanceolate, 10-23 x 3-9 cm, glabrous on both sides, at base obtuse or angustate, at apex acuminate (acumen broad, obtuse, 0.2-2 cm long); midrib slightly prominent above and beneath, nerves 6-10 pairs, arcuately ascendent and fused 1-4 mm from margin, flat or impressed above, slightly prominent beneath, veins reticulate; petiole slender, minutely tomentellous, glabrescent, 0.7-1.3 cm long. Panicles subterminal, in axils of deciduous bracts or persistent leaves, many-flowered, rusty-tomentellous, 6-10 cm long; pedicels thick, 1-2 mm long, merging into floral tube. Flowers densely tomentellous, 1.5 mm long, tube conical, not constricted above, pilose inside; tepals fleshy, spathulate, obtuse at apex, ca. 1.2 mm long, inner ones slightly smaller than outer ones, inside, especially outer ones, appressed pilose, at margin, especially inner ones, densely fimbriate; stamens 1.2 mm long, of ser. I and II with filaments broader than anther (filaments hirsute, anthers glabrous, anther cells medium-sized, valves at anthesis erect), of ser. III with obtuse, glabrous anthers (cells extrorse-latrorse, filaments at base hirsute, biglandulose); staminodes of ser. IV inconspicuous or absent; pistil densely and minutely pubescent, 1.8-2 mm long; stigma minute. Berry ellipsoid, to 2.5 x 1.5 cm; cupule hemispherical, to 1.2 x 1.8 cm, outside verruculous, margin straight, mucronulate.

  • Discussion

    This species is closely related to A. kappleri from which it differs by its fertile vs. sterile third staminal whorl. Sterile material or fruiting material without stamens cannot be attributed to one or the other of the species. Their close relationship is emphasized by their partially sympatric distribution and by the presence of presumed hybrids. The hybrids are characterized by the occurrence, within the same flower, of stamens and staminodes of whorl III with two, one, or no anther cells (cf. Berti 334, 355, 356 from Venezuela).

    Aniba viridis Mez from Rio de Janeiro was placed in synonymy with this species but I believe it to be identical with A. firmula (Nees) Mez. However, the type specimen of A. viridis is very young and possesses a badly developed papillose leaf surface.

    Lleras P17290 differs from A. riparia by its glabrous ovaries and ovary tubes and by its shorter tepals. Otherwise it is indistinguishable from this species. The collections from Bolivia cited above differ by their somewhat larger flowers. Williams 4746, which Kostermans (1938b) cited under this species, is a poor specimen that differs from Aniba riparia by its coarser leaves and larger cupules.

  • Distribution

    In high, evergreen forest. Flowers Jun-Aug; fruits Jul-Oct.

    Guyana South America| Suriname South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America|