Persea aurata Miq.
-
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
-
Description
Species Description - Tree; branchlets angular, densely tawny-tomentose, striate, non aromatic; petioles 6-8 mm., striate, tomentose, slender, 5-8 (-13) cm. long, 2-3 (-5.5) cm. wide, leaf-blades subcoriaceous, elliptic to lanceolate to oblanceolate, the tips subacuminate to acute to obtuse, the bases acute to obtuse, the upper surface mostly with albescent-arachnoid hairs, glabrescent, the lower surface sericeous with subappressed aurate hairs, the costa impressed above, prominent beneath, 6-9 pairs of primary nerves divergent at 40-50°, the reticulation obscure except that adjacent to the costa. Inflorescence an axillary, multiflorous, narrow panicle, 3/4 to 1 1/2 X the length of its subtending leaf, occasionally with reduced leaves subtending cymules; peduncles 2.0-3.0 cm., slender, densely ferrugineous-pilose; pedicels 2-3 mm., thick, ferrugineous-pilose; flowers 5-6 mm.; outer perianthsegments 2.5 mm. long, 1.8 mm. wide, broadly elliptic, ferrugineous-pilose without, glabrous within; inner perianth-segments 5 mm. elliptic, ferrugineous-pilose without and within; stamens approximately 4 mm., the anthers 1.25 mm. long, the filaments 3 mm. long, the filaments of series I and II pubescent, the anthers oblong-ovate, retuse, quadrilocular; filaments of series III pubescent, the glands subsessile, their stalks adnate to the basal 1/8 of the filament, the anthers narrowly oblong, laterally dehiscent, quadrilocular, staminodia of series IV pubescent, with a weak apical tuft; gynoecium densely pilose, the ovary 1 mm. globose; style 2 mm. long. Infructescence exceeding its subtending leaf in length; pedicels slightly longer than those of the inflorescence; perianth-segments somewhat patent, persistent in their entirety; fruit 5-6 mm., subglobose, somewhat pubescent, somewhat glaucous, the style remaining in the form of an apicule.
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Central Brazil. Found in moist areas.
-
Discussion
Persea splendens var. y chrysophylla Meissn. in DC. Prodr. 15(1): 44. 1864.
Type collection. M . Blanchet 3566, Jacobina, (also syntype of P splendens var. Y chrysophylla Meissn.) (lectotype U, isolectotypes C, F, MO, NY, P, RB).
The closest associate of P. aurata is P. punctata. T h e most distinguishing characteristic of the former is the persistent, straight, appressed pubescence on the under surface of the leaves. T h e lower leaf-surf ace of P. punctata is covered with tawny, slightly crisped, appressed hairs which are not persistent.
There might also be some confusion between P. aurata and P. splendens, both of which are sericeous on the lower leaf-surface, but the latter is vestured entirely with closely appressed hairs, and has longer, more slender pedicels.
The closest associate of P. aurata is P. punctata. The most distinguishing characteristic of the former is the persistent, straight, appressed pubescence on the under surface of the leaves. The lower leaf-surf ace of P. punctata is covered with tawny, slightly crisped, appressed hairs which are not persistent.
There might also be some confusion between P. aurata and P. splendens, both of which are sericeous on the lower leaf-surface, but the latter is vestured entirely with closely appressed hairs, and has longer, more slender pedicels.