Spachea elegans (G.Mey.) A.Juss.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Spachea elegans (G.Mey.) A.Juss.

  • Description

    Species Description - Trees 4-15 m tall, the stems loosely sericeous to subvelutinous, soon glabrate. Lamina of the larger leaves 7-12(-14) cm long, 3-6 cm wide, elliptical or slightly obovate, cuneate or rounded at the base, often revolute at the margin, usually short-acuminate at the apex, tomentose to soon glabrate above, sparsely reddish tomentose or subsericeous below at least on the midrib, usually bearing 2-4 impressed glands below near the base and often several glands distally; petiole 7-10 mm long, tomentose or sericeous, eglandular; stipules 3-6 mm long, abaxially sericeous, adaxially glabrous, quite connate. Inflorescence a terminal pseudoraceme of 1-flowered cincinni, 5-20 cm long, tomentose throughout; cincinni horizontal or reflexed; peduncle 1-4 mm long, twisted and apparently bearing the bract on its upper side; bracts and bracteoles 0.5-1.5 mm long, ovate or rotund, both bracteoles borne well below the joint, some plants with 1 bracteole terminating in a ± stalked gland. Pedicel 4-6 mm long, tomentose to glabrate in fruit. Sepals 2-3 mm long, ca 1.5 mm wide, broadly rounded at the apex, thinly sericeous on both sides and ciliate around the margin, bearing 8-9 glands 2-3 mm long. Petals pink, glabrous or with a few hairs at base of claw, subequal, the claw 1.5-2.5 mm long, the limb 2.5-3.5 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, obovate, minutely fimbriate with short unicellular processes, persistent in fruit. FHaments free, bearing a few basal hairs, 1.5-2 mm long in "pistillate" flowers, ca 3 mm long in "perfect" flowers; anthers ca 1 mm long and unopened in "pistillate" flowers, 1.1-1.3 mm long and releasing abundant pollen in "perfect" flowers. Receptacle bearing long hairs between stamens and ovary. Carpels 2(-3), glabrous or bearing a few hairs, 1-2 mm high; styles 2(-3), 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous, divergent to ventually recurved, the reniform or bHobed stigmas 0.5-0.8 mm wide. Fruit of 2(-3) glabrous cocci 4.5-6 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, dorsiventraHy slightly flattened, spheroid, ellipsoid, or slightly obovoid, bearing a smooth scar 1.5-2.0 mm wide over much of the length of the ventral face; torus almost flat, bearing a short ridge between the cocci.

  • Discussion

    Spachea elegans (G. F. W. Meyer) Adr. Jussieu in Delessert, Icon. Sel. 3: 19, tab. 31. 1837 [1838]. Malpighia elegans G. F. W. Meyer, Prim. Fl. Esseq. 178. 1818. Byrsonima elegans (G. F. W. Meyer) de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 580. 182 Type. Rodschied, in litore insulae Arowabisch, Essequibo River, Guyana (GOET).

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Reported from Trinidad, southeastern Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, and Terr. Roraima, Brazil. VENEZUELA. Delta Amacuro: Rio Amacuro, Sierra Imataca, faHs at San Victor, elev 65-80 m, [female], Oct frt, Steyermark 87154 (MICH, NY). Bolivar: Pto. Ordaz-San Felix, Aristeguieta 5297, [female], Apr flr (VEN) & 5838 (MY, NY, VEN); San Felix, elev 30-40 m, [female], Dec flr/imm frt, Bernardi 7798 (VEN). GUYANA. Upper Rupununi River, near Dadanawa, [female], De La Cruz 1492 (N

    Trinidad and Tobago South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America|