Sloanea fragrans Rusby
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Authority
Rusby, Henry H. 1927. Descriptions of New Genera and Species of Plants Collected on the Mulford Biological Exploration of the Amazon Valley 1921-1922. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 7: 205-387.
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Family
Elaeocarpaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Inflorescence gray-tomentellate. Branchlets very stout. Petioles of the larger leaves 2 dm. long, 7 mm. thick, terete, hollow, strongly nerved. Blades to 7 dm. long and 3 dm. broad, obovate, obtuse, with rounded base, the margin obscurely sinuate, obsoletely dentate, coriaceous, drying brownish, the midrib very stout, the secondaries If) to 20 on each side, spreading widely, the outer portions strongly falcate, connected by a number of crooked, slender tertiaries, the venation strongly and finely anastomosing, lightly prominent on both surfaces. Flowers racemose, the racemes solitary or variously clustered, mostly longer than the petioles, only the terminal portion usually floriferous, the peduncle and rachis stout, coarsely angled or sulcate. Bracts 5 to 7 mm. long, boat-shaped, keeled, acute, coriaceous. Pedicels mostly about twice the length of the bracts, stout, many-costate. Sepals about 8 mm. long and half as broad, very thick, especially at the base, tomentose on both surfaces, lanceolate, obtusish, the petals similar. Stamens very numerous, densely massed, the thick fleshy filament about as long as the thecae, the anther narrowed toward the base, about 7 mm. long, the acuminate, acute, rigid appendage about a third of its length, the anther about 1 mm. wide, or less, gray-puberulent, the appendage yellow, subglabrous. Ovary short-ovoid, 4 or 5 mm. wide, densely shortscaly, the style tomentose, stout, tapering, a little longer than the stamens. Fruit depressed-globose, reaching to 2 dm. in breadth, densely long-spinose. Seeds 2 or 3 cm. in width, irregularly ovoid, light-scarlet.
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Discussion
A large forest tree, flowering while still bearingsome fruits of the preceding crop. Its flowers are abundant, and a beautiful combination of pink and yellow, and very fragrant. In many places, the forest floor is covered with the chestnut-like seeds, or with their remains, dropped by parrots and other birds which feed eagerly upon them. There were indications that terrestrial animals devour those which fall.
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Distribution
On the shore of the Bopi River, 3,000 feet, H. H. Rusby, September 8, 1921 (no. 742). Local name "Cabeza del Negro" (Negro-head).
Bolivia South America|