Heteropterys orinocensis (Kunth) A.Juss.
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part XI. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 32: 1-391.
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Family
Malpighiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Woody vine; vegetative internodes thinly sericeous to glabrate, dark purpHsh, lenticellate. Lamina of the largest leaves (9-)ll-18 cm long, 3.5-7 cm wide, 2-3.5 times as long as wide, ovate or rarely elliptical, rounded at the base, obtuse, acute, or acuminate at the apex, nearly or quite glabrous above, thinly sericeous to glabrate below, eglandular or with a few impressed submarginal glands below, the fine reticulum often whitish and usually prominulous on both sides; petiole sericeous or often glabrate, eglandular or often biglandular near the apex; stipules not seen. Inflorescence a panicle, the flowers borne in pseudoracemes 3-12 cm long, sericeous to glabrate, the bracts 2-3 mm long, usually eglandular, the peduncle 1-5(-8) mm long, the bracteoles 1.5-2.5 mm long, usually bearing 2 abaxial glands. Pedicel 4-9 mm long. Calyx bearing 8 elliptical glands 1.8-2.5 mm long on the 4 lateral sepals, the anterior sepal eglandular or rarely bearing 2 small glands. Petals glabrous, erose, the lateral 4 with the claw 2.5-3.5 mm long, the h m b 4-6.5 mm long and wide; posterior petal similar, the claw slightly longer, the limb slightly smaller. Filaments 2-3.6 mm long, strongly unequal in same flower; anthers 0.8-1 mm long, glabrous, the connective dark red. Styles 2.5-3.5 mm long, the apex truncate or extended dorsally into a hook up to 0.2 mm long. Samara (16-)19-23 mm long, borne horizontally; dorsal wing (8-)11-13 mm wide, usually ± flabellate, the abaxial edge usually slightly to strongly recurved, rarely straight; nut 6-9 mm long, 5-6 mm high.
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Discussion
18. Heteropterys orinocensis (Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth) Adr. Jussieu, Ann. Sci. Nat. 2° Ser. Bot. 13: 276. 1840. Banisteria orinocensis Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. PI. 5: 162 (4° ed.). 1821 [1822]. Heteropterys acutifolia Adr. Jussieu, Ann. Sci. Nat. 2° Ser. Bot. 13: 276. 1840. Type. Northern Brazil (P, Field Mus. neg. 35576). Heteropterys helicina Grisebach in Martius, Fl. Bras. 12: 67, tab. 12. 1858. Type. Spruce 247, Nov 1849-Mar 1850, in vicinibus Santarem, Para, Brazil (isotypes E! GH! NY!). Type. Humboldt & Bonpland, Rio Orinoco near San Borja, Amazonas, Venezuela (P). Heteropterys acutifolia is placed in synonymy under this species on the basis of the cited photograph of the type, which shows leaves and fruits of the shape characteristic for the species. The description in the protologue fits the plant in the picture, not only as to leaf shape, but also as to details such as the absence of petals and the shape of the young fruits, so that I am fairly sure it really is the type. The label distributed by Field Museum with the photograph ascribes the collection to Claussen, but I doubt that that is correct. The printed label that usually accompanied Claussen's collections is absent (at least from the photograph), and Jussieu does not mention Claussen in the protologue. Moreover, Jussieu states that the type came "e parte boreali Brasiliae," presumably the Amazon, while Claussen collected only in Minas Gerais and around Rio de Janeiro. If I am wrong and this does prove to be a Claussen collection from Minas Gerais, then I am probably also wrong to equate it with H. orinocensis, which is not known from Minas Gerais and very probably does not grow there.
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Distribution
Distribution. Common along rivers throughout Amazonia and north to the middle Orinoco, at elevations of 80-125 m. Guayana collections studied: VENEZUELA. Bolívar: Río Pargueni, Wurdack & Monachino 39785 (NY, VEN); Rio Orinoco between mouth of Rio Pargueni and mouth of Río Horeda, Wurdack & Monachino 39881 (MICH, NY, VEN); island in Río Orinoco between Puerto Paez and Orupe, Wurdack & Monachino 39968 (NY). Amazonas: Sipapo R. near confluence with Orinoco, Breteler 4828 (VEN, WAG); mouth of R
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