Strychnos hirsuta Spruce
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Authority
Krukoff, Boris A. 1965. Supplementary notes on the American species of Strychnos VII. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 12: 1-94.
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Family
Loganiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Distribution and Ecology - Brazil: Para (cultivated at Belem), Pires 2638. Amazonas: basin of Rio Madeira (Borba), Froes 26108.Distribution: Known from four collections from the basin of Rio Madeira, one collection from the basin of Rio Maués, two collections from the basin of the lower Rio Negro (near Manaos), and three collections from the basin of Rio Solimoes proper—all from the State of Amazonas, Brazil.
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Discussion
Corollas were not seen by us in 1942 and Ducke recently described them on the basis of a cultivated plant at I.A.N. raised from seeds collected by Pires at Maués, Amazonas, Brazil (33: 79, 80). As per Ducke corolla subglabrous without, and densely lanate within; corolla-tube 2-4 mm long; corolla-lobes about 3 mm long; anthers included, 1 mm long, filaments about 2.8 mm long; ovary and style pilose. Ducke (31: 35) questions our identification of L. E. Mello Filho 567 (sterile specimen collected near Manaos) as of this species and places this specimen with S. Froesii. He goes on in saying that sterile specimens of S. hirsuta could be easily confused with those of S. Froesii. I cannot accept Ducke's identification of the above referred to specimen as it is plainly S. hirsuta. I also believe that sterile specimens of this species could hardly be confused with those of S. Froesii, which are 5-plinerved, whereas they are invariably 3-plinerved in S. hirsuta. Branchlets, petioles and blades beneath (on principal nerves) of S. hirsuta are hirsute with long (up to 1.5 mm) rusty straight hairs and also with shorter curved inconspicuous hairs, and they are shorter in S. Froesii. Whereas S. Froesii is well provided with well developed tendrils, they are either absent or very rudimentary in S. hirsuta (on the specimens examined only one rudimentary tendril was seen on Krukoff 6060). An excellent photograph and specimen are available at the N.Y. Botanical Garden of a plant in cultivation at I.A.N. at Belem from seeds obtained at Maués, Amazonas, Brazil. Ducke (31: 35) provides an excellent description of this plant which I quote below: “Arbúsculo de poucos metros de altura, desprovido de gavinhas; tronco fraco e ramos flageliforines, algumas vêzes subescandentes na parte superior. Floresce no meio da estação chuvosa (março, em Maués) ; frutos maduros no verão. Restrita à submata da floresta pluvial primaria não inundável da parte central do Amazonas . . . Frutos e sementes ... os que ví eram semelhantes aos de guianensis de tamanho maior, e, como estes, oblongos ou globosos.” For information on the position of this species in Ducke’s key made on the basis of fruit characters, see under S. rondeletioides. It appears that up to date this species was not studied chemically and/or pharmacologically. The reference of studies by King of For. Dept. 2482 referred to by him as “near S. hirsutawill be discussed in the next supplement.
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Distribution
Distribution: Known from four collections from the basin of Rio Madeira, one collection from the basin of Rio Maués, two collections from the basin of the lower Rio Negro (near Manaos), and three collections from the basin of Rio Solimoes proper—all from the State of Amazonas, Brazil.
Brazil South America|