Tabebuia elongata Urb.
-
Authority
Gentry, Alwyn H. 1992. Bignoniaceae--part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25: 1-370. (Published by NYBG Press)
-
Family
Bignoniaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Type
Type. Cuba. Granma: Nagua, Ekman 14163 (holotype, S; photocopy, MO).
-
Description
Species Description - Tree, presumably dichotomously branched, the branchlets terete, lepidote with minute whitish scales. Leaves 3-5-foliolate, the leaflets narrowly oblong to narrowly oblong-elliptic, the apex obtuse to acute, the base rounded to truncate, the terminal 9-19 cm long, 2.4-5.3 cm wide, the basals 6-14.5 cm long, 1.8-4 cm wide, coriaceous, inconspicuously lepidote above, densely whitish lepidote below, also with scattered larger scales, no simple trichomes whatsoever, the secondary veins brochidodromous, prominulous below, plane or subimpressed above, the tertiary venation rather obscure, discolorous, drying dark brown above, light gray below with darker main veins, the margin somewhat erose, the terminal petiolule 0.5-2.2 cm long, 0.2 mm wide, the basals lacking or to 0.2 cm long, the petiole 2.7-8 cm long, densely lepidote. Inflorescence, flowers, and fruits unknown.
-
Discussion
Although known only from two sterile collections, this species seems to be distinct. It is quite unlike any collection of T. heterophylla in the large narrowly oblong, erose-margined leaflets with strongly discolorous lower surfaces. The elongate sessile basal leaflets are another distinguishing feature as are the unusually thick petiolules. While its discolorous lower surface recalls T. bibracteolata which can have 3-5-foliolate leaves with sessile basal leaflets, the complete lack of simple trichomes argues strongly against such a relationship.
-
Objects
-
Distribution
Southeastern Cuba. A local endemic of the northern foothills of the western Sierra Maestra; known only from two collections from Nagua on the Río Yara.
Cuba South America| Granma Cuba South America|