Duguetia reticulata Maas

  • 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 reticulata Maas

  • Type

    Type: Brazil. Bahia: Mun. Mucuri, BR 101, near bridge over Rio Mucuri, 15 Sep 1978 (fl, fr), Mori et al 10554 (holotype, CEPEC; isotypes, K, NY, U).

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree, 8-10 m tall, 12 cm in diam. Young twigs and petioles totally covered with pale brown, stellate scales 0.1-0.3 mm in diam. Petioles 4-7 mm long, 1.5-2 mm in diam. Lamina elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 15-19 cm long, 5-8 cm wide, leaf index 2.3-2.6, chartaceous, greyish green, shiny above, pale to greenish brown below, glabrous above, sparsely covered with stellate scales 0.1-0.2 mm in diam. below, base obtuse to acute, slightly oblique, apex acute to slightly acuminate, primary vein slightly impressed above, secondary veins curved, 10-12 on either side of primary vein, raised above, angles with primary vein 60-70°, loop-forming at right to obtuse angles, loops distinct, smallest distance between loops and margin 5-10 mm, tertiary veins distinctly raised on both sides, but strongly so above. Inflorescences among leaves, leaf-opposed or terminal, 1-flowered. Indument: pedicels and outer side of bracts and sepals totally covered with pale brown, stellate to fimbriate scales 0.1-0.3 mm in diam., outer side of petals densely to totally covered with stellate scales 0.1-0.5 mm in diam., inner side of sepals and petals densely covered with stellate hairs 0.1-0.3 mm in diam., inner basal ¼ of petals glabrous. Pedicels 10-15 mm long, 1-2 mm in diam., fruiting pedicels to 20 mm long, 7-8 mm in diam. Upper bract halfway the pedicel, depressed ovate, ca. 1 mm long, caducous. Flower buds not seen. Flowers pinkish in vivo. Sepals free, ovate-deltate, 10-11 mm long, 8-9 mm wide, acute. Petals subequal, narrowly obovate, 25-30 mm long, 8-12 mm wide, acute to obtuse, inner base of inner petals callose, distinctly grooved. Stamens 1-1.5 mm long, apex of connective discoid, 0.2-0.4 x 0.5-0.7 mm, glabrous, distinctly apiculate. Carpels 2-2.5 mm long, ovary rather densely covered with simple and furcate hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long, stigma sparsely so. Fruit color in vivo not recorded, brownish in sicco, subglobose, 3.5-5 cm in diam., basal collar composed of ca. 20 connate, sterile carpels, 20-25 mm in diam., slightly protruding below the fiuit, fertile carpels (up to) ca. 200, obtrulloid, 15-20 mm long, 7-9 mm in diam., free, areoles pyramidal, 6-7 mm high, acute, sharp-pointed, slightly 5-6-ribbed, totally covered with a velutinous, brown indument of erect, furcate to stellate hairs 0.4-0.6 mm in diam. Seeds not seen.

  • Discussion

    Duguetia reticulata is only known from three collections, all from the valley of Rio Mucuri, Bahia, Brazil. The first author, when visiting the type locality in 1992, saw that an old cacao plantation still existed. However, there appeared hardly any sizable trees left, and D. reticulata could not be found.

    D. reticulata can be recognized fairly easily by the conspicuously reticulate leaves, in which the smallest distance between loops of the secondary veins and the margin is fairly large (5-10 mm). The fruit is distinctive, too, composed of many (ca. 200) carpels, covered with a velutinous, brownish indument of furcate to stellate hairs.

    The taxonomic position of D. reticulata is unclear. Cluster analyses, as far as possible, brought it into a cluster with, among others, D. calycina (Fig. 37, 5th cluster).

  • Distribution

    Endemic to the Brazilian state of Bahia. In forest remnants of an old cacao plantation. At sea level. Flowering in April and September, fruiting in September.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America|