Nectandra sanguinea Rottb.

Authority

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

Family

Lauraceae

Scientific Name

Nectandra sanguinea Rottb.

Type

Type. Surinam. Without locality, Rolander s.n. (holotype, SBT n.v.; isotype, S).

Synonyms

Laurus sanguinea Sw., Ocotea sanguinea J.Presl, Persea sanguinea Spreng., Nectandra guianensis Meisn.

Description

Species Description - Trees to 25 m. Branchlets 5 cm below terminal bud 1.2-3 mm in diam., initially very slightly angular, quickly becoming round, with ± short, appressed to ascending hairs, immediately below the terminal bud moderately sparse to dense, quickly becoming ± sparse; terminal buds elongate, ca. 2-8 mm long and 0.9-2 mm thick, with a dense cover of ± short (rarely up to 0.3 mm), straight, appressed hairs. Petioles 5-14 mm long, 0.8-2 mm thick, ± roundish below, often almost rolled, usually deeply canaliculate above, indument similar to that on twigs but usually denser, especially above, ± slowly (sub)glabrescent. Leaves alternate, oblong to lanceolate-oblong, widest 1/3-3/5 from the base, usually slightly below the middle, (6.5-) 11-20 cm long, (1.8-)3-5(-5.5) cm wide, 2.5-4.4(-4.8) times longer than wide, at the tip tapering towards a ± distinct acumen, base obtuse to attenuate, mostly acute, margin ± flat, midrib slightly convex in a slight impression above (rarely only impressed), prominent below, secondary veins slightly raised to level above, ± distinctly raised below, 9-14 pairs, diverging at (50-)55-75°, in mid-lamina running at an angle of35-60° to the midrib, often scarcely visible, especially above, tertiary venation mixed, with poorly defined, weak percurrency, ± reticulate, ± level above, level to slightly raised below, very inconspicuous on both sides. Indument consisting of short, ± appressed hairs, only a few on base of midrib above, if any, sparse below from the beginning, slightly denser on midrib, (subglabrescent. Gland dots usually not visible, but sometimes moderately distinct above in young leaves. Inflorescences in the axils of foliage leaves, rarely also (pseudo?)terminal or a few of them in the axils of cataphylls at the base of the new growth, 0.5-1.8 mm in diam. at the base, on a twig of 1.4-3 mm diam., 1-8 cm long (to 11.5 cm in fungus infested inflorescence), reaching ca. 1/10-1/2 the length of the subtending leaf; peduncle 0.5-4 cm long, i.e., ca. 1/3-3/5 the length of the inflorescence, lateral branches 0-6 below terminal cyme or cluster of cymes, branched (0-)l-2(-3) times, indument consisting of short, appressed to ± erect hairs, sparse to intermediate. Pedicels 1.7-3.8 mm long, 0.30.6 mm thick. Flowers ca. 4.5-6 mm in diam., tepals broadly elliptic to ovate, ca. 1.6-2.2 mm long and ca. 1.4-1.9 mm wide, distinctly papillose on the inside surface. Stamens ca. 0.50.8 mm long, anthers broadly sessile, wider than long, distinctly papillose at the tip, in the first whorl broadly pentagonal to almost transversely rectangular with a broadly obtuse to almost truncate tip, in the second whorl ± pentagonal with an obtuse tip, in the third whorl ± obtrapeziform with a truncate to very broadly obtuse tip. Staminodes thickish, reaching ca. 1/2-2/3 the length of the stamens, rarely slightly glandular on adaxial side, sometimes united with the glands. Pistil ca. 0.9-1.2 mm long, glabrous, ovary ovoid to depressed spheroidal, style reaching ca. 2/5 the length of the ovary. Receptacle bowl-shaped to hemispherical but ± closed above by stamens and staminodes, glabrous inside. Berry elongate-ellipsoid, ca. 19-24 mm long, ca. 10-12 mm in diam., cupule shallowly bowl-shaped (deeper when young), ca. 2.5 mm high and ca. 8-10 mm in diam., often with small lenticels, pedicel increasingly thickened towards the cupule.

Discussion

Nectandra sanguinea is a very homogeneous species, easily recognized by its smooth oblong leaves with numerous inconspicuous secondary veins, and by its small flowers with small, sessile anthers. More glabrous forms of N. pichurim may look vegetatively similar to N. sanguinea, but their stamens have distinct filaments. The name N. sanguinea had long been misinterpreted in the sense of N. salicifolia, until Bernardi (1967) recognized its true identity.

Common Names

laurel, laurel negro, shirua

Distribution

In Guyana, Surinam, the Venezuelan state of Bolivar, and in immediately adjacent Brazil. Flowering material has been collected in October, November, February, and April, fruiting material in January.

Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| Brazil South America| Roraima Brazil South America|