Nectandra egensis Rohwer

Authority

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

Family

Lauraceae

Scientific Name

Nectandra egensis Rohwer

Type

Type. Brazil. Amazonas: Mun. Novo Japurtá, between Tamandaré and Manguari, Rio Japurtá, tributary of Rio Solimões, 12 Nov 1982 (fl), Cid & Lima 3607 (holotype, MO; isotypes, F, NY).

Description

Latin Diagnosis - Species inter Nectandram amazonum et N. oppositifolium accurate intermedia, huic accedit foliis pilis et brevibus pallidis adpressis et longi-oribus erectis crispatis rufescentibus, quorum priores autem ut in ilia parallele disposita sunt.

Species Description - Trees, to 20 m. Branchlets 5 cm below terminal bud 1.9-3.8 mm in diam., ± flattened towards the nodes, somewhat longitudinally furrowed, initially covered with a dense, reddish or brownish indument of very short, ± ascending hairs and longer (up to ca. 0.5 mm), ± erect, curled hairs, the latter ± quickly lost, twigs becoming grayish, then glabrescent; terminal buds elongate, till mm long, 1.2-2 mm thick, densely covered with moderately long, ascending, reddish-brown hairs. Petioles 9-22 mm long, 1-2.5 mm thick, irregularly roundish below, usually longitudinally ridged, canaliculate above, often flattened towards the lamina, indument ± as on twigs. Leaves subopposite to opposite, lanceolate to lanceolate elliptic, widest 1/3 from the base to (mostly) at the middle, (7-)10-20 cm long, (1.8-) 3-6(-7) cm wide, 2.4-4.4 times longer than wide, tip (mostly long and narrowly) acuminate, base varying from narrowly cuneate to obtuse, the very base sometimes attenuate, margin flat or nearly so, midrib and secondary veins (very) slightly impressed (the latter occasionally level) above, prominent below, secondary veins 5-8 (-9) pairs, diverging at 30-50(-65)°, in midlamina running at an angle of 15-35° to the midrib, tertiary venation scalariform, level or very slightly impressed above, usually raised below, finer venation mostly inconspicuous. Indument in young leaves variable above, dense and feltlike to moderately sparse and inconspicuous, consisting of ± curled hairs which may be rather short and tawny and/or slightly longer and reddish, older leaves glabrescent; indument below consisting of both short, ± parallel, appressed, pale hairs in the intercostal area and longer, erect, curled, reddish hairs mainly but not exclusively on the veins, the former very dense in young leaves, in older leaves either staying dense or becoming very sparse, the latter initially regular to sparse, sometimes crowded in the axils of the secondary veins, in older leaves becoming sparser or lost. Gland dots not apparent. Inflorescences in the axils of distal leaves, basically thyrsoids but frequently reduced to corymbiform dichasia, 1-1.3 mm in diam. at the base, on a twig of 1.5-3 mm diam., 2.7-8.5 cm long, reaching 1/4-3/4 the length of the subtending leaf (mostly ca. 1/3); peduncle 1-3.5 cm long, i.e., 1/3 to 3/5 the length of the inflorescence, lateral branches 0-2 below terminal cyme, branched (2-)3-4 times, indument dense, similar to that on twigs but hairs mostly somewhat longer and more reddish. Pedicels up to 2 mm long, 0.8-1 mm thick. Flowers 7-10.5 mm in diam., tepals elliptic to oblong-elliptic, ca. 3-4 mm long and ca 1.7-3 mm wide, papillosity ± dense on the inside surface. Stamens ca 1.3-2.5 mm long including a short but distinct filament, anthers papillose, in the outer whorls narrowly trullate to rhombic, with a well developed acute sterile tip, in the third whorl acute to obtuse at the tip. Staminodes reaching ca. 1/3 the length of the stamens, thickish and papillose, distinctly united with the inner stamens at the base. Pistil ca. 2-3 mm long, ovary broadly ellipsoid, glabrous, style almost as long as the ovary, papillose. Receptacle deeply urceolate (to almost spherical), glabrous inside. Berry (after Schultes & Cabrera 16601) elongate, 2227 mm long, 8-12 mm in diam., slightly apiculate, cupule deep, almost campanulate, ca. 10 mm in diam. and ca. 8 mm deep, with a slightly widened entire margin.

Discussion

Describing this entity as a new species is a kind of makeshift solution for a taxonomic problem that presently cannot be solved satisfactorily. Nectandra egensis is exactly intermediate between N. amazonum and N. oppositifolia, two otherwise not even similar species. The reticulation on the lower surface of the leaves is more distinct than in the former species but less distinct than in the latter. As in N. oppositifolia, the leaves show reddish, curled, ± erect hairs in addition to short, ± appressed, pale hairs, but the latter show a ± parallel arrangement like N. amazonum. Geographically, N. egensis occurs between the two centers of N. oppositifolia, which are in central to southern Brazil and in the Chocó region. It grows in the same kind of habitat as N. amazonum, and it seems to replace this species locally. Nectandra egensis is probably derived from either N. amazonum or N. oppositifolia, or from both of them by hybridization, but at present we have no biological information that could help to make a decision.

Common Names

pee-sheé

Distribution

Inundated forests along the rivers Apaporis and Japura (Caquetá) from Colombia down to Tefé on the Rio Solimões, plus one collection from the Rio Negro, probably restricted to black water forests (igapó). Flowers September to December, fruits have been collected in May, June and December.

Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|