Nectandra nitidula Nees

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Nectandra nitidula Nees & Mart.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. São Paulo: Near Taubaté, Martius, obs. 546 (lectotype, M, here designated).

  • Synonyms

    Nectandra nitidula var. latifolia Nees, Nectandra nitidula var. maior Nees, Nectandra nitidula var. minor Nees, Nectandra sarcocalyx Nees

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs or trees to 10 m (usually only ca. 3 m). Branchlets 5 cm below terminal bud 1.3-3 (-4) mm in diam., only slightly angular or roundish from the beginning, at the tip with short to moderately long (up to 0.5 mm), appressed to ascending, mostly ± straight hairs, below terminal bud dense to moderately sparse, usually quickly becoming sparser but then slowly (sub)glabrescent; terminal buds ovoid to elongate, ca. 2-6 mm long and 0.8-2.5 mm thick, densely covered with ± straight, ± appressed hairs. Petioles 3-10(-12) mm long, 0.9-2 mm thick, roundish below, distinctly canaliculate above, indument ± as on twigs, initially moderately sparse to dense below, glabrous to moderately dense above, quickly glabrescent. Leaves alternate, (ob)lanceolate to elliptic, most frequently oblanceolate-oblong, widest 1/3 to 3/4 from the base, usually slightly above the middle, (3.5-)5-11(-14.5) cm long, (1.2-)1.7-4(-^6) cm wide, 1.7-3.9(-4.4) times longer than wide, tip usually with a very small and blunt acumen, rarely acute or obtuse, base attenuate to obtuse, most frequently ± cuneate, margin flat to almost (very narrowly!) rolled, usually slightly recurved, midrib ± level to slightly raised above, sometimes in a slight impression, distinctly raised to prominent below, secondary veins (level to) slightly raised above, very slightly to distinctly raised below, 5-11 pairs, often rather inconspicuous (especially the distal ones), diverging at (40-)45-65°, in mid-lamina running at an angle of (20-)35-60° to the midrib, tertiary venation mixed, with weakly defined percurrency, forming a dense reticulum, level to raised on both sides, often ± inconspicuous. Indument consisting of some ± short, appressed hairs on midrib above or absent from the beginning, consisting of short to moderately long (rarely up to 0.5 mm), ± appressed hairs below, initially moderately sparse to subglabrous, (sub)glabrescent. Gland dots generally not visible. Inflorescences mostly both in the axils of cataphylls at the base of the new growth and in the axils of young foliage leaves, rarely crowded below the terminal bud or pseudoterminal, larger ones sometimes frondulose, 0.6-1.5(-2.3) mm in diam. at the base, on a twig of ca. 1-3(-5) mm diam., 3.5-13(-20) cm long, reaching ca. 3/4 to more than twice the length of the closest foliage leaves (usually longer than the leaves); peduncle (0-)1.7-7 cm long, i.e., large inflorescences sometimes branched from the base, otherwise peduncle reaching ca. 1/3-3/4 the length of the inflorescence, lateral branches (0-)2-6 (in frondulose inflorescences up to 12) below terminal cyme or mostly cluster of cymes, branched 1-2 (-3) times, the lowermost branches sometimes not entirely cymose, indument consisting of short to moderately short (up to 0.3 mm), appressed to ascending hairs, moderately dense to subglabrous on peduncle, sparse to moderately dense on receptacle, sparser or absent on tepals. Pedicels 1.5-7.5 mm long, 0.3-0.5 mm thick. Flowers 4.2-6.5 mm in diam., tepals ± elliptic, 1.5-2.7 mm long and 0.9-2.1 mm wide, papillosity reduced, on the inside surface of the outer tepals absent or only in basal triangle (sometimes a few papillae at the tip), on inner tepals only on distal part. Stamens (Fig. 6K) ca. 0.8-1.2 mm long including a very short filament, anthers weakly papillose, in the first whorl ± roundish-pentagonal with an obtuse tip, in the second whorl pentagonal to almost trullate with an acute to parabolic tip, in the third whorl elongate pentagonal to obtrapeziform with an obtuse to truncate tip. Staminodes slightly clavate, often slightly glandular on adaxial side, nearly free. Pistil ca. 1.2-1.6 mm long, glabrous, ovary ellipsoid to broadly spheroidal, style reaching ca. 3/5 to almost the length of the ovary. Receptacle relatively shallow, ± bowl-shaped, glabrous inside. Berry ellipsoid, up to ca. 11 mm long and ca. 7 mm in diam., cupule funnel-shaped, up to ca. 2 mm high and 7 mm in diam., pedicel increasingly thickened towards the cupule.

  • Discussion

    Nectandra nitidula is a well-defined species, recognized by its relatively small, nearly glabrous leaves and by its flowers with type anthers (see p. 12) but reduced papillosity. Its closest relative is probably N. grandiflora, which differs by larger, entirely glabrous (but heavily papillose) and usually glaucous flowers. Nectandra venulosa has similar anthers and superficially similar leaves, but it can easily be separated because of its ± curled, reddish-brown hairs on vegetative buds and young twigs. Nectandra megapotamica and N. psammophila can also look similar to N. nitidula, but they lack the distinctly prolonged anther tip.

    Nectandra nitidula was practically lectotypify by Nees himself, because in his Systema Laurinarum Martius, obs. 546 is the only collection that is not cited under more than one variety. In an earlier publication (Rohwer, 1986) I erroneously considered Martius, obs. 546 to be identical with Martius, Fl. Bras. 1239. The two are very similar, but they are supposed to come from different states. I have now designated Martius 1239 as lectotype of the variety maior because it is the only numbered collection annotated by Nees himself that really represents N. nitidula. The other two (unnumbered) Martius collections from central Brazil are also N. nitidula, but a third, Martius s.n. from Amazonas, represents Licaria cannella (Meissn.) Kostermans. Sello 1368 is N. grandiflora, and has been cited by Meissner (1864) in the description of N. grandiflora var. longifolia. Very likely 1368 is a printing error instead of 1369, which really represents N. nitidula (see below). Sello 4495 (B) is sterile and therefore difficult to identify; it may be a Cryptocarya. Finally, a duplicate of the specimen cited as “Herb. Amott.” from Nees’ private herbarium (GZU) represents Nectandra megapotamica.

    In the variety latifolia the situation is slightly less complicated. Nees cited two collections, Sello 1379 and 1370. From the material preseved at Berlin it is obvious that the first number should read 1369 instead of 1379. This collection really is Nectandra nitidula, whereas no. 1370 is an Ocotea of the O. indecora group in the sense of Rohwer (1986). Therefore Sello 1369 has been chosen as the lectotype of this variety.

    Nectandra Sarcocalyx is based on a specimen with monstrous, fungus-infested fruits. Leaves and twigs, however, cannot be distinguished from N. nitidula.

  • Common Names

    canela, Canela amarela, Canela do mato

  • Distribution

    Brazil, Bahia to Paraná, margins of gallery forest in the cerrado region, or secondary vegetation (capoeira), mostly between 900 and 1400 m altitude. Flowers generally from September to November, but two flowering collections were made in April. Fruits in January and February.

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