Pterandra arborea Ducke

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pterandra arborea Ducke

  • Description

    Species Description - Trees 15-25 m tall; branchlets sericeous to eventuaHy glabrate. Lamina of the larger leaves (5-)8-14 cm long, (3-)4-7 cm wide, broadly elliptic or obovate, cuneate at the base, obtuse at the apex or very abruptly short-acuminate, the acumen up to 5 mm long, thinly but persistently sericeous below, with many prominent angular translucent dots in the lower epidermis, loosely sericeous above but soon glabrate except on the veins; petiole 8-22(-28) mm long, sericeous; stipules 3-4 mm long, quite connate, abaxially sericeous at the base and distally glabrous, adaxiaily hirsute. Flowers borne in paired fascicles on old stems axillary to and slightly above leaf scars, each fascicle bearing 1-5 flowers at a time; bracts and bracteoles similar, 1-2 mm long and wide, triangular, abaxially sericeous, adaxiaily glabrous, deciduous. Pedicel (13-) 15-24 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm in diameter, sericeous. Sepals ca 3.5 mm long, Hnguiform, revolute, abaxially sericeous, adaxiaHy glabrous, all biglandular, the glands pink, ca 1.5 mm long, flat, elliptical. Petals white, abaxially sericeous, adaxiaily hirsute at base of claw or glabrous, the claw 1-1.5 mm long, the limb 3.5-4.5 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide, ovate or elliptical, flat, erose or subentire. Stamens with filaments 1.5-3 mm long; anthers 0.7-0.9 mm long, the connective not glandular or enlarged, the wings ca 0.3 mm wide. Ovary 1-1.5 mm high, borne on a pyramidal torus, tomentose; styles subapical, ca 4 mm long, glabrous except at base. Cocci 4-4.5 mm high, spheroid with a base of spongy tissue, tomentose.

  • Discussion

    3. Pterandra arborea Ducke, Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 6: 40. 1933. Type. Ducke, unflooded forest, cachoeira, Rio Taruma, near Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, 3-8-1929 (holotype R B 23649! isotype US!). Collected in flower from July to September and in fruit from August to January. Cowan 38123 (MG, MICH, NY, US) is this species or a very close relative. It was collected in Serra do Navio, Terr. Amapa, Rio Amapari, heavily forested hills, 70-300 m elev. More collections from Amapa, especially ones that note color of petals, should help to understand the variation in this species.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Itacoatiara to Manaus and northwest. BRAZIL. Amazonas: margem doig. do Binda, Manaus, Coelho sn [INPA 4009] (IAN, INPA); type, q v; Manaus-Itacoatiara Highway, Reserva Florestal Ducke, forest on terra firme. Prance et al 2122 (MICH, NY); Manaus-Itacoatiara, Rodrigues & Loureiro 7058 (INPA), Rodrigues 7244 & 7577 (INPA); Rio Maturaca, catinga forest between Missao Salesiana and Serra Pirapucii, elev 400-800 m , Silva & Brazdo 60825 (MG, MICH, NY, US).

    Brazil South America|