Rollinia leptopetala R.E.Fr.

  • Authority

    Maas, Paulus J. M., et al. 1992. Rollinia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 57: 1-188. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Annonaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Rollinia leptopetala R.E.Fr.

  • Type

    Type: Brazil. Piaui: "Common between Boa Esperanca and the city of Aeiras," Mar 1839 (fl, fr), Gardner 2033 (lectotype, B: selected by R. E. Fries 1934; isolectotypes, BM, G, GH, K, OXF, P). Bahia: [Various localities: Barra or Villa de Barra, Jacobina, Japira, Tapira], 1840 (fl), Blanchet 3101 (syntypes, BM, BR, C, F, G, GH, K, MG, NY, OXF, P).

  • Synonyms

    Rollinia leptopetala var. angustifolia R.E.Fr., Rolliniopsis discreta Saff., Rolliniopsis simiarum Saff., Rolliniopsis leptopetala (R.E.Fr.) Saff.

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree or shrub, 2-9 m tall. Leafy twigs densely covered with weak, white to pale brown, crisped, erect, simple hairs to 0.5 mm long, becoming glabrous. Petioles 3-5(-10) mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diam. Lamina ovate to elliptic, 4-7(-10) cm long, 1.5-3(-5) cm wide, chartaceous, dark greenish-brown above, green to brown below, rather densely to densely covered with weak, white, crisped, simple hairs to 0.2 mm long above, rather densely covered with weak, white, erect to semiappressed, crisped, simple hairs to 0.3 mm long below, base obtuse to slightly cordate, apex obtuse to slightly emarginate; secondary veins curved to straight, (5-)6-8 on either side of primary vein, rarely with short intersecondaries, angles with primary vein 40-60°, occasionally loop-forming down to more than 1/2 of the length, smallest distance between loops and margin mostly 1-3 mm, tertiary veins 2-3 per intercosta, weakly percurrent to reticulate. Domatia scarce, indistinct. Inflorescences leaf-opposed (to supra-axillary), 1 (-rarely 3)-flowered, (peduncles), pedicels, outer side of bracts and sepals, and (most of) corolla densely to rather densely covered with appressed to erect, brownish (to whitish), crisped to straight, simple hairs to 0.3(-0.5) mm long. Peduncles 0-0.5 mm long, 0.7-1 mm in diam., fruiting peduncles to 1 mm long, to 1.5(-2) mm in diam. Pedicels 10-20 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diam., fruiting pedicels 1-2 mm in diam. Bracts broadly (ovate-)triangular, 1-2 mm long, upper bract inserted in up to 1/3 (or halfway) of the pedicel. Flowers red, fragrant in vivo. Sepals slightly connate at the base, patent, broadly ovate, 1-3 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, shortly acuminate, not gibbous. Corolla tube 3-4 mm high, 3-4 mm in diam., wings suborbicular to obovate, ascending, 7-12 mm long, 6-9 mm high, less than 0.5 mm thick, index = 1-1.3. Fruit subglobose in outline, 2-4 cm in overall diam., apocarpous, green, maturing yellow, orange, or red in vivo, black to dark brown when dry, carpels 15-20, obovoid, 8-13(-l 4) mm long, 4-6(-8) mm in diam., gradually narrowed into a stipe 12 mm long, sparsely covered with white, crisped, simple hairs (to ca. 1 mm long), with obtuse apex, surface slightly to distinctly verrucose; wall ca. 0.2 mm thick. Seeds 8-9 × 4-6 mm, pale brown, pitted.

  • Discussion

    The closest relative of this species is Rollinia parviflora, from which it differs at first glance by the different indument (R. parviflora is covered with ferruginous hairs) and differently colored flowers (white to yellow in R. parviflora, red in the the present species). R. leptopetala is unique in the genus by the red flowers.

  • Common Names

    Araticum, Ata brava, Banana de macaco, Bananinha, Bananinha de macaco, Bananinha de quemquem, Fruta de macaco, Pereiro

  • Distribution

    States of Ceará, Piauí, and Bahia, Brazil; also few collections from Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, In caatinga vegetation, at altitudes up to 1000 m. Flowering and fruiting mostly from November through April.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Piauí Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|