Cinchona capuli L.Andersson
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Authority
Andersson, Lennart. 1998. A revision of the genus
(Rubiaceae--Cinchoneae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 80: 1-75. -
Family
Rubiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Tree to 18 m tall and 40 cm dbh. Young branches glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Stipules glabrous, or sparsely pubescent throughout, 1-4.1 X 0.5-2.8 cm; petioles 1.1-2.2 cm long, glabrous or sparsely puberulous; leaf blades thin, papyraceous when dry, 6.1-21 X 2.6-6.2 cm, elliptic or obovate (length:width ratio 1.4-2), cuneate to (rarely) rounded (or rounded and attenuate) at base, obtuse to acute or subacuminate at apex, secondary veins 6 or 7 pairs, level to prominulous above, prominulous beneath, tertiary venation vaguely to distinctly visible, adaxial surface matte, glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous, or (usually) sparsely to rather densely puberulous on veins, intervenous surface minutely puberulous, usually rather sparsely so, margin often revolute proximally, ± distinct tuft domatia present. Inflorescence axes ± densely pubescent. Calyx 1.8-2.5 mm long with lobes 0.6-0.9 mm, glabrous outside, or sparsely pubescent at base, glabrous inside, without colleters; corolla reddish, tube 8.2-9.2 mm long, glabrous inside, lobes 3.8-4.6 mm long; filaments attached 2.4-3.8 mm (ca. 30-40% of tube length) above base of corolla tube, 2.1-2.8 mm long in long-styled flowers (short-styled not seen), anthers 2.7-34 X 0.7-0.8 mm; ovary densely pubescent, 2.5-2.6 X 1.7-1.8 mm; style 5.9-7.9 mm long (in long-styled flowers), stigmatic lobes 2.3-2.9 mm; disk glabrous. Capsules ± cylindrical, 13-30 X 5-6 mm, acropetally dehiscent, with a chartaceous endocarp ca. 0.15 mm thick. Seeds 7.3-8.5 X 0.8-2.3 mm including wing, wing margin strongly irregularly dentate.
Distribution - Distribution and habitat. Eastern slopes of the Andes in central and S Ecuador (Fig. 11B); at altitudes between 910 and 2600(-3000) m.
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Discussion
Type. Ecuador. Zamora-Chinchipe: Quebrada Honda, vic. of Rancho Achupallas, 25002700 m, 10 Oct 1943, Steyermark 54563 (holotype, A; isotypes, F, G, MO, NY). Vernacular name. Hoja de capulí (Ecuador). Cinchona capuli is characterized by having thin-textured, proportionally narrow leaf blades, a matte upper leaf surface, lower leaf surface with distinctly puberulous veins and the intervenous surface minutely puberulous, and distinct domatia with usually conspicuous hair tufts (Fig. 4A). Furthermore, the flowers are rather small on average, and the seeds are proportionally narrow with a strongly dentate wing margin. Cinchona capuli is closely related to C. pubescens, from which it differs in having leaf blades with appressed indumentum beneath, and in having distinct tuft domatia. It may be confused also with C. barbacoensis or C. lancifolia, which see for differences.