Byrsonima amoena Cuatrec.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Byrsonima amoena Cuatrec.

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs or small trees 1.5-6 m tall; stems glabrous except short-hirsute in axils of stipules. Lamina of the larger leaves 6-10.5 cm long, 3-5.7 cm wide, obovate or occasionally elliptical, usually cuneate or obtuse at the base, usually rounded and often retuse or apiculate at the apex, rarely obtuse, glabrous, the margin yellowish and often slightly revolute, the lateral veins prominulous above; petiole (3-)5-10(-12) mm long, glabrous; stipules 1-2 mm long, free, rounded or obtuse, abaxially glabrous, adaxially short-hirsute at base. Inflorescence 6-15(-19) cm long, sericeous to glabrate, the flowers borne 1 per bract; bracts and bracteoles 0.5-1(-1.5) mm long, 0.9-1.6 mm wide, rounded or obtuse, glabrous except usually ciliate on the margin, persistent past maturity of the fruit; peduncle none. Pedicel 4-10 mm long, very slender, sericeous to glabrate, circinate in bud, decurved and eventually twisted in fruit and old flowers. Sepals all biglandular, 1-1.5 mm long beyond the glands, ca 1.5 mm wide, obtuse or rounded, glabrous except usually ciliate on the margin (very rarely sparsely sericeous abaxially in the center), reflexed in anthesis, accrescent in fruit; glands 1.4-2.6 mm long. Petals white, turning red in age, glabrous. Filaments 1.5-2 mm long, abaxially glabrous, adaxially hirsute at base; anthers 1-2 mm long, glabrous, the locules 0.8-1.9 mm long, dorsiventrally flattened and bearing membranous longitudinal wings ca 0.1 mm wide, the connective equalling the locules or exceeding them by 0.1-0.2 mm . Ovary glabrous, all 3 locules fertile; styles 2.5-3 mm long. Fruits 4-5.5 mm in diameter (dried), globose, glabrous, the nut rugose.

  • Discussion

    26. Byrsonima amoena Cuatrecasas, Webbia 13(2): 622. 1958. Fig 16j. Byrsonima ciliata Cuatrecasas, Webbia 13(2): 623. 1958. Type. Schultes & Cabrera 19694, Circasia, Rio Vaupes, Vaupes, Colombia, 240 m, Nov flr (holotype US! isotype NY!). Type. Cuatrecasas 6966, Yuruparí, ± 350 km arriba de Mitii, Vaupes, Colombia, 220 m, Sep flr/frt (holotype U S ! isotype F!).

  • Distribution

    Distribution. In savannas on white sands in the drainage of the Rfos Negro and Vaupes. BRAZIL. Amazonas: Campina of Cacau Pirera, Estr. para Manacapuru, A. B. Anderson 209 (NY); Manaus, Campina de Ponta Negra, Ducke 1746 (A, MG); Tauacuera, baixo Rio Negro, Ducke [MG 12195] (NY); Rio Cuieiras just below mouth of Rio Brancinho, Prance et al 14828 & 17718 (MICH, NY); Km 2 Estr. Terra Preta, branch of Manaus-Manacapuru 5 k m from Cacau Pirera, Prance et al 23486 (MICH); Manaus, Ponta Negra, Rodrigu

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