Persea pyrifolia Nees

  • Authority

    Kopp, Lucille E. 1966. A tasonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western Hemisphere (Perseae-Lauraceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 14: 1-117.

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Persea pyrifolia Nees

  • Description

    Species Description - Woody plant; branchlets slender, tawny-strigulose (hairs not tightly appressed), the bark not aromatic; petioles 1-2.5 cm. long, slender, tawny-strigulose; leaf-blades 7-13 cm. long, 3-5 cm. wide, chartaceous, elliptic to ovate, the tips acute to rounded, the bases acute to rounded to cordate, the upper surface glabrescent, the lower surface sparsely tawny-strigulose, glabrescent, the costa slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, 7-10 pairs of primary nerves divergent at 45-55°, plane and obscure above, prominent beneath, the reticulation obscure above, prominulous beneath. Inflorescences axillary, paniculate, each 34 to equal the length of its subtending leaf; pedundes 4-7 cm., densely tawny-strigulose, very slender, the rachises 1-3 cm.; flowers subsessile, 5-6 mm. long; outer perianth-segments 2-2.5 mm. long, 1.5-2 mm. wide, ovate, densely tawny-sericeous without, glabrous within; inner perianth-segments 5.5-6 mm. long, 2-2.5 mm. wide, densely tawny-sericeous without and within; stamens about 4 mm., the filaments about 2.5 mm., the anthers about 1.5 mm., the filaments of senes I and II strigose, rarely with subcrisped pubescence, the anthers oblong, retuse glabrous, quadnlocular; filaments of senes III strigose. rarely with subcrisped pubescence, the glands subsessile, adnate to the basal 1/3 of the filament, the anthers oblong, quadrilocular, laterally dehiscent; staminodia of series IV sagittate, densely sericeous, with terminal bristles, gynoecium glabrous, the ovary globose; style 3 mm. long, slender; stigma of small diameter, decurrent. Fruit not seen.

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. East-central Brazil.

  • Discussion

    Type collection. F. Selloio s.n., in Brasilia tropica (holotype B. Willd. Herb.)

    The relationship of P. pyrifolia is with P. caerulea. Both have long slender peduncles, similar pubescence, and short outer perianth-segments relative to the length of the inner, though those of P. caerulea are smaller. The species under discussion links the Andean P caerulea group with the rather large group of related species found in south-central Brazil.

    There is a close relationship between P. pyrifolia and P. microphylla which is discussed under the latter species.

    It will be noted that staminal pubescence has been described as mostly strigose, rarely a illous. T h e modification Avas necessitated by the variation of this diaracter in Selloiv 5230.

    Mez referred to this species as P. cordata. The latter name is based on a picture in the Flora Fluminensis, but it is not possible to determine if the drawing were made from a plant representing this species.

    See also P. major.