Siparuna harlingii S.S.Renner & Hausner

  • Authority

    Renner, Susanne S. & Hausner, Gerlinde. 2005. Siparunaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 95: 1--247 pp. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Monimiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Siparuna harlingii S.S.Renner & Hausner

  • Type

    Type: Ecuador. Morona-Santiago: 7-8 km N of Gualaquiza on rd. to Indanza, 1500 m, 16 Apr 1985 (male), Harling & Andersson 24175 (holotype, QCA; isotypes, AAU, GB, MO).

  • Description

    Species Description - Dioecious shrub or treelet, the branches sometimes sarmentose and hanging over other plants, 2-6(-12) m tall and reaching a dbh of 14 cm; young and older branchlets subangular, densely stellate-pubescent. Leaves opposite; petioles (2-)2.5-4(-7) cm long; lamina drying dark green to dark brown, smooth, elliptic to broadly elliptic, 18-35 X 10-21 cm, the base truncate to cordate, occasionally rounded or auriculate, the apex acute to acuminate, both surfaces more or less densely pubescent with tufted hairs, glabrescent on the upper surface, with (8-) 12-13 (-15) pairs of secondary veins, these distinctly visible on the upper surface, slightly raised and yellowish brown pubescent on the lower surface, the tertiary venation dense and distinctly visible, the margin denticulate. Cymes 2-5 cm long, pubescent with spreading hairs to tomentose, with 10-15 flowers. Fresh flowers yellow to creamy white; male floral cup broadly ob-conical, 3-4 mm in diam., 4-5 mm high, densely covered with yellowish spreading hairs, the floral roof distinctly raised, glabrous, the 4-5 tepals triangular, l.5-2.5 mm long, glabrous or occasionally with a few hairs on the adaxial tepal tips; stamens 6, often with 4 outer and 2 central ones, fleshy and containing whitish oil cells, the outer stamens distinctly exserted at anthesis; female floral cup of the same size and shape, except the tepals 2.3-3.5 mm long and the floral roof centrally more bulging; styles 20-30. Fruiting receptacle globose, about 1.5 cm in diam. (when fresh to 3 cm in diam.), glabrescent, immature green with pink spots, mature light red and with a strong lemon smell when crushed, the 20-26 drupelets distinctly protruding in dried material, each drupelet with a stylar aril.

  • Discussion

    Crushed leaves are rubbed on the body to treat “mal aire,” a term referring to rheumatism, fever, stomach aches, and other symptoms of malaria.

    Siparuna harlingii is similar to S. aspera but differs in the fruiting pedicels, which remain slender, while they become thick and fleshy in S. aspera. The two species also differ in the dimensions of their flowers and fruits, their indumentum, leaf texture, and density of secondary veins, which number (8-)12-13(-15) in S. harlingii and (13-) 16-20(-26) in S. aspera.

  • Common Names

    guayusa, mal aire panga, muun mejegkash

  • Distribution

    Siparuna harlingii occurs on the eastern Andean slopes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru; in disturbed upland forest from 150-1700 m elevation.

    Caquetá Colombia South America| Putumayo Colombia South America| Morona-Santiago Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Pastaza Ecuador South America| Sucumbíos Ecuador South America| Tungurahua Ecuador South America| Zamora-Chinchipe Ecuador South America| Amazonas Peru South America|