Disciphania inversa Barneby

• Authority

  Mori, S. A. 1987. The Lecythidaceae of a lowland Neotropical Forest: La Fumée mountain, French Guiana. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 44: 1-190.

• Family

  Menispermaceae

• Scientific Name

  Disciphania inversa Barneby

• Description

  Latin Diagnosis - D. killippi ut videtur proxima, sed foliorum lamina superne reticulo subtili clauso areolas 0.5 mm usque diametientes eircumscribenti inferne reticulo apertissimo laxo notata (ut folia inversa videntur) cito separata. A D. remota quoad inflorescentias (ejusdem sexus infauste ignotas) laxas elongatas comparanda imprimis caulibus annotinis pilosulis necnon foliorum lamina e basi 3- nec 5-nervia differt. A congeneribus sect. Sarcostephanae pertinentibus omnibus amazonicis Ecuadoriae pacificae incola procul allopatrica. Glaberrima verosimiliter alte scandens, trunco suberoso ruguloso pallido brunneo ad 6 mm usque diam, ramulis foliatis annotinis laevissimis canaliculatis lividis; petiolus gracilis 5-7 cm longus basin tortilem versus parum incrassatus; foliorum lamina sicca chartacea opaca supra olivaceo-brunnea infra pallidior late ovata vel truncato-rotundata apice abrupte acuminata 10-12.5 cm longã, 6-8 cm lata, acumine triangulan obtuso ± 5-7 mm longo, 3 mm lato, ex ipso basi 3- vel obscure 5-nervia, nervis externis (si adsunt) debilibus brevissimis laminae basi parallelis, internis 2 (una vel ambabus) e costa angulo acuto divergentibus dein incurvis sed vix mediam laminam attingentibus, costa penninervia, nervis lateralibus majoribus utroque latere (2-)3-4, his superne vel immersis subimpressis inferne elevatis, reticulo ultimo superne subtili clauso intricatissimo inferne aperto; inflorescentia [female] nunc ex axillo folii annotini nunc ramulo abbreviato aphyllo e trunco erumpenti gesta, pedunculo incluso 13-30 cm onga axe flexuosa pendula simplici vel (? abnormali) furcata, drupis inter se mtervallo ad 2 cm usque longo semotis, bracteis ± 1 mm longis deflexis; drupae ± 2 cm longae 1.5 cm diam exocarpium coriaceum maturum rubrum, caro mucilaginea tenuis ("cibaria" fide coll.), endocarpium 17-18 mm longum, 14 mm latum valde compressum late 8-alatum, alis marginalibus et lateralibus 3-4 mm latis ad basin (transverse sectis) 0.3 mm crassis, sulco lato laevissimo inter se separatis, marginibus undulatis nec in fibras dissolutis; loculus seminalis transverse sectus 5 mm latus 3 mm altus; inflorescentia [male] ignota.

• Discussion

  Type. ECUADOR. Imbabura: Lita, alt. 501 m, abr. 24, 1949, M. Acosta Solis 12,205 (holotype [2 sheets], F; isotype [fragm.], NY). The plant described above as D. inversa was at first surmised to be the (still unknown) pistillate state of D. killipii or possibly because of its greatly elongate and lax spike of fruits the missing sex of D. remota. The leaves of D. killippii especially are similar in outline and primary venation to those of D. inversa, but comparison of the finer veins and particularly of the ultimate reticulation revealed important differences. The remarkable feature of the leaf of D. inversa is a prominulous network of extremely fine and small areoles on the upper side of the blade contrasting with an open and relatively simple pattern on the lower side. This is the reverse of what is expected in Disciphania, or indeed in those genera of American Menispermaceae with which I have detailed knowledge, and at first glance the leaves of D. inversa appear upsidedown. It would seem unlikely, furthermore, that the exceptionally long and loose pistillate inflorescence of D. inversa could be the counterpart of the compact staminate inflorescence of D. killipii. So far as inflorescence is concerned D. inversa would make a handy match for that of D. remota, but that species differs in having pubescent young shoots and in leaves different in color, texture, and venation. The species mentioned as possible allies of D. inversa are known only from the upper Amazon basin, phytogeographically remote from Pacific lowlands of Ecuador. I have no doubt that as the missing sexes of all the species become available for comparison stronger differential characters will emerge.