Duguetia elliptica R.E.Fr.

  • Authority

    Maas, Paulus J. M., et al. 2003. (Annonaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 88: 1-274 pp. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Annonaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Duguetia elliptica R.E.Fr.

  • Type

    Type: Brazil. Amazonas: Ipanoré ( Panuré ), Dec 1853 (fr), Spruce 2946 (holotype, K, 2 sheets).

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrub or tree, 2-10 m tall. Young twigs and petioles totally covered with brown, stellate scales 0.2-0.3 mm in diam. Petioles 8-12 mm long, 2-3 mm in diam. Lamina elliptic, 10-25 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, leaf index 2-2.5, coriaceous, dark blackish brown above, pale brown below, glabrous above, sparsely covered with stellate scales 0.2-0.3 mm in diam. below, base obtuse, acute, to attenuate, apex acuminate (acumen 515 mm long), primary vein impressed above, secondary veins straight, 10-14 on either side of primary vein, raised above, angles with primary vein 75-80°, loopforming at right to obtuse angles, loops distinct, smallest distance between loops and margin 2-5 mm, tertiary veins slightly raised above, strongly so below. Inflorescences among leaves, leaf-opposed, 1-2-flow-ered. Indument: pedicels and outer side of bracts, sepals, and petals totally covered with stellate scales 0.20.5 mm in diam., inner side of sepals and petals totally covered with stellate hairs 0.2-0.4 mm in diam., inner 1/2 of petals glabrous. Pedicels 2-3 mm long, 2 mm in diam., fruiting pedicels 7-8 mm long. Upper bract at about halfway the pedicel, very broadly ovate-triangular, ca. 4 mm long. Flower buds not seen. Flowers not seen or hardly measurable (petals). Stamens 2-2.5 mm long, color unknown, apex of connective discoid, 0.3 x 0.6 mm, totally covered with hairs to 0.1 mm long. Carpels ca. 1.8 mm long, ovary densely covered with stellate scales, stigma glabrous. Fruit greenish to brownish yellow in vivo, globose, 2.5-3.5 cm in diam., basal collar absent, fertile carpels 25-40, obtrulloid to obovoid, 12-13 mm long, 6-7 mm in diam., free, areoles shallowly pyramidal to pyramidal, 5-7 mm high, obtuse, sharp-pointed, ribbed, with faint grooves in between, densely covered with stellate scales 0.1-0.2 mm in diam. Seeds ellipsoid, 10-12 mm long, 5-6 mm in diam., acute, pale brown to orange-brown, shiny.

  • Discussion

    Duguetia elliptica, restricted to the Amazonian caatinga forests of the Upper Rio Negro Region of Brazil, is still insufficiently known as there is no good flower material available yet. It is distinguished by relatively wide, elliptic leaves with strongly-prominent venation on the lower side. Fries (1934) placed it close to D. quitarensis (as D. tessmannii). The incomplete material makes it impossible, however, to determine its precise place within Duguetia. Based on available data, UPGMA analysis situates D. elliptica in the cluster around D. calycina (Fig. 37, 5th cluster).

  • Common Names

    Invira

  • Distribution

    The Upper Rio Negro region of Amazonian Brazil. In Amazonian caatinga forest. At sea level. Young flowers found in February, fruits in March, November, and December.

    Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|