Nectandra psammophila Nees

  • Authority

    Rohwer, Jens G. 1993. Lauraceae: . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 60: 1-332. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Nectandra psammophila Nees

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Espírito Santo: Barra de Jucú, Mar 1816 (fl), von Wied-Neuwied s.n. (lectotype, BR, here designated; isolectotypes, B, GZU).

  • Synonyms

    Nectandra riedelii Meisn., Nectandra araujovii Schwacke & Mez, Nectandra riedelii var. longipaniculata Vattimo-Gil

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs or trees to 12 m. Branchlets 5 cm below terminal bud 1.3-2.6 mm in diam., at first ± slightly angular with small longitudinal ridges, quickly becoming roundish, with ± straight, ± short (occasionally up to 0.4 mm long), ± appressed hairs, dense to intermediate below terminal bud, quickly becoming sparser; terminal buds ovoid to elongate, minute or up to ca. 7.5 mm long and 1.7 mm thick, densely covered with ± straight, ± appressed hairs. Petioles 3.5-11 mm long, 0.8-1.8 mm thick, roundish below, canaliculate above, indument ± as on twigs below, initially denser above, glabrescent. Leaves alternate or occasionally some of them opposite, elliptic to lanceolate or oblong, widest ± at the middle, (4.3-)5.5-12(-14) cm long, 1.7-4.5 cm wide, (1.8-)2.3-3.5(-4.3) times longer than wide, tip (mostly short) acuminate, base usually ± acute, rarely attenuate or obtuse, margin flat to very slightly bent down, midrib ± level to slightly impressed above, sometimes slighty convex, prominent below, secondary veins ± level above, slightly raised to almost prominent below, 5-10 pairs, sometimes rather inconspicuous above, diverging at 45-70°, in mid-lamina running at an angle of 20-60° to the midrib, tertiary venation mixed, percurrency very indistinct, scarcely more developed than the network of finer veinlets, ± level and often inconspicuous above, raised to almost level below. Indument inconspicuous, consisting of ± short, ± appressed hairs, in young leaves sparse above to absent except for the more pubescent midrib, moderately sparse to subglabrous below, axils of some secondary veins at least in some leaves with ± erect hairs, mature leaves glabrous above or with a few hairs on base of midrib, indument ± persistent or glabrescent below. Gland dots rarely visible, on upper surface of young leaves. Inflorescences most frequently in the axils of cataphylls below terminal and axillary vegetative buds, often also in the axils of foliage leaves (less often exclusively in this position), 0.4-0.8 mm in diam. at the base, on a twig of ca. 0.8-2 mm diam., 0.7-8(-l 1) cm long, reaching up to 2/3 the length of the closest foliage leaf, (usually much shorter), branched immediately at the base or with a peduncle of up to 4.5 cm length, i.e., in small inflorescences up to 3/5 their length, lateral branches 0-4(-6) below the terminal cyme or cluster of cymes, unbranched or branched once, occasionally the whole inflorescence reduced to a three-flowered cymule, indument consisting of short, ± appressed hairs, sparse to moderately dense but still leaving most of the epidermis visible. Pedicels 1-3.5(-6.5) mm long, 0.20.5 mm thick. Flowers 3.5-5(-6.5) mm in diam., tepals ± elliptic, 1.3-2(-2.8) mm long and 0.8-1.3(-2) mm wide, papillosity ± fine on the inside surface, distinct but at least on outer tepals not covering the entire surface. Stamens ca. 0.50.7 mm long including the very short filament (but see below), anthers distinctly papillose, in the first whorl ± transverse-elliptic, broadly rounded to almost truncate at the tip, rarely indistinctly obtuse, in the second whorl narrower, usually ± suborbicular, rounded to indistinctly obtuse at the tip, in the third whorl ± obtrapeziform, very broadly obtuse to slightly emarginate at the tip. Staminodes slightly clavate, reaching half to almost the length of the stamens, often slightly glandular at the tip, free. Pistil ca. 0.9-1.3 mm long, glabrous, ovary ellipsoid to broadly pear-shaped, style thick, reaching up to 1/3 the length of the ovary. Receptacle shallow, ± bowlshaped, glabrous or with some tightly appressed hairs inside. Only immature fruit known, berry ellipsoid, ca. 10 mm long and ca. 6.5 mm in diam., cupule ± trumpet-shaped, ca. 2.5 mm high and 5 mm in diam., pedicel increasingly thickened, merging into the cupule.

  • Discussion

    Nectandra psammophila is one of the less distinctive species, easily confused with N. nitidula and with N. megapotamica. It differs from N. nitidula by smaller, more roundish and more papillose anthers, and by the presence of erect hairs in the axils of at least some secondary veins on the lower surface of at least some leaves. Such hairs are also absent in the “typical” N. megapotamica, but may be present in some populations (see p. 165). Nectandra megapotamica differs also by a much longer style, less papillose anthers with strikingly large pollen sacs, and usually by relatively narrower leaves. None of these characters by itself would warrant specific recognition, but their constant combination makes the taxa involved quite distinct An exception is the type of N. riedelii var. longipaniculata, which is placed here with hesitation. Its leaves look much like N. psammophila, but its inflorescences are longer than usual and its stamens are larger, with distinct filaments of up to 0.3 mm length. Therefore it will key out at N. megapotamica. In that species, however, the anthers are less papillose, with larger pollen sacs, the inflorescences are usually more distinctly crowded below the terminal buds, the leaves are more narrowly lanceolate, and in those forms that have erect hairs in the axils of the secondary veins the reticulation is different. The type of N. riedelii var. longipaniculata is also superficially similar to N. nitidula, from which it can easily be separated by the characters mentioned above. In the original publication, the epithet was spelt ulonge-panniculata” which is obviously an orthographic mistake.

    Mez (1889) also placed Nectandra grandiflora var. barbellata in the synonymy of N. psammophila. I have seen the rather poor type collection, Pohl 3718 from NY, and I am reluctant to call it N. psammophila, because the indument on the twigs is denser instead of sparser, as should be expected in a fruiting collection. Unfortunately, the undersurfaces of all leaves are firmly glued to the sheet, so that they cannot be examined. Therefore, I cannot suggest a better placement for this collection.

    Of the two syntypes of Nectandra riedelii, both unnumbered Riedel collections, I have selected the “Mandiocca” collection as the lectotype because this is the least confusing choice. Both syntypes are present in NY, and both were annotated by Meissner, but the “Serra Estrella” collection is mounted together with a Warming collection which seems to represent N. megapotamica. At least one of the two syntypes is also present in B, G, K, and L, but in these cases there are either both localities or none of them on the label.

  • Distribution

    Brazil, southernmost Bahia to Rio de Janeiro, coastal restinga forests and moist forests up to 500 m altitude. Most flowering collections were made from November through March, only one in July.

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