Sorocea sprucei (Baill.) J.F.Macbr.

• Authority

  Berg, Cornelius C. 2001. Moreae, Artocarpeae, and (Moraceae): With introductions to the family and and with additions and corrections to Flora Neotropica Monograph 7. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 83: 1-346. (Published by NYBG Press)

• Family

  Moraceae

• Scientific Name

  Sorocea sprucei (Baill.) J.F.Macbr.

• Type

  Type. Peru. San Martín: nr. Tarapoto, Jun 1855 ([male]), Spruce 4483 (holotype, P; isotypes, B, BM, C, F, G, K, LD, LE, NY).

• Synonyms

  Pseudosorocea sprucei Baill.

• Description

  Species Description - Shrub or tree, to 8 m tall, sometimes lianescent. Leafy twigs 1-3 mm thick, puberulous to hirtellous; internodes often short; lenticels often conspicuous and dark (brown or blackish) colored. Lamina elliptic to lanceolate (to subobovate), (1-)6-16 × (0.5-)2.5-8 cm, mostly broadest above the middle, ± inequilateral to equilateral, chartaceous to coriaceous; apex acuminate to subacute to obtuse to rounded, the acumen apiculate; base acute to rounded to cordulate; margin (sub)entire to denticulate to (crenate-)dentate, occasionally subspinulose-denticulate; upper surface smooth and glabrous or puberulous on the midrib or scabrous to scabridulous; lower surface sparsely to densely puberulous to hispidulous to subhirtellous or to subtomentose; midrib and sometimes also the lateral veins and smaller veins slightly impressed above, the smaller veins plane or ± prominent beneath; lateral veins (5-)8-12(-14) pairs; tertiary venation reticulate (or partly scalariform); petiole (0.1-)0.3-1.2 cm long, 0.5-2 mm thick, puberulous; stipules 0.2-0.9 cm long, puberulous, caducous. Staminate inflorescences shortly spicate (to 1(-1.5) cm long) or subcapitate; peduncle 0.2-0.5 cm long, puberulous; flowers crowded, sessile or with pedicels to 1 mm long; tepals 4, free, ca. 1.5 mm long, membranaceous, minutely puberulous; stamens 4; filaments 0-0.1 mm long; anthers ca. 0.9-1.1 × 0.8-1 mm, the connective broad, apiculate. Pistillate inflorescences very shortly spicate to subcapitate, in fruiting state to racemose or sometimes subumbellate; peduncle 0.2-1.5 cm long, sometimes to 2.5 cm long in fruit, puberulous; flowers 4-12, sessile or subsessile, pedicellate in fruit; pedicel mostly to 0.5 cm long, sometimes to 1.5 cm long or to 3.5 cm long, reddish; perianth ca. 1.5-2 mm long, 4-lobed, sparsely and minutely puberulous; stigmas tongue-shaped, to band-shaped to subfiliform or to subulate, 1-2 mm long, sometimes twisted, coarsely or sometimes finely papillate. Fruiting perianth ellipsoid to ovoid, sometimes (sub)globose or oblongoid, (0.6-)l-1.3(-1.5) × (0.6-)0.8-0.9(-1.2) cm, black, the apex (sub)apiculate, sometimes truncate with a low collar-like rim, the surface smooth (or slightly wrinkled?), sparsely and minutely puberulous.

• Discussion

  The species is very variable. Three subspecies can be recognized at present. A fourth distinct infraspecific taxon from the dry parts of the upper Cauca valley (Colombia, Valle) might be recognized as discussed below, and possibly a fifth one to accommodate the somewhat deviating collections from Bolivia (Beni), Foster et al 12469 and Michel et al 1040 and 1042), with relatively large chartaceous laminas, ± scabrous beneath.