Aldina latifolia Spruce ex Benth. var. latifolia

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett, et al. 1953. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (2): 87-160.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Aldina latifolia Spruce ex Benth. var. latifolia

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree 6-17 m. tall, glabrous except for inflorescence; leaves (l-)3-5-foliolate, the petioles 3.5-6.5 cm. long, nitid, the rachis 1.5-7.5 cm. long, nitid, the petiolules 1-1.5 cm. long, transversely corrugate, the blades oblong, oblong-oval or oblong-ovate, 8-12 cm. long, 3.5-7 cm. wide, the base rotund, the apex shortacuminate, the tip acute or obtuse, above nitid, below distinctly or obscurely tesselate, the venation obscure above, below the principal veins barely prominulous; inflorescence racemose or sparsely branched, densely appressed aureo-puberulent, about 15 cm. long, the pedicels 2-4 mm. long, the mature buds about 1.5 cm. long, ovoid; calyx about 1.5 cm. long, densely appressed-puberulent on outer surface, glabrous on inner surface except crisped-villose hairs at tip, splitting into 3 reflexed parts; petals 4-5, oblanceolate, 15-20 mm. long, 6-7 mm. wide; stamens glabrous, filaments about 15 mm. long, the anthers 4.8 mm. long, 0.7 mm. wide; stigma simple, style glabrous, straight or porrectate at the extreme apex; ovary oblong, 4-5 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide, densely appressed-puberulent, later glabrescent, 4-5-ovulate, the stipe 1-1.5 cm. long, appressed-puberulent, not glabrescent; "legumen ovoideo-subglobosum, sulco utrinque exaratum, subdidymum, 2 poll, diametro" (from original description).

  • Discussion

    Aldina latifolia Spruce ex 3enth.; Mart. Fl. Bras. 15:(2) 12, as to type. 1870.

    There are only two groups in the genus which have glabrous leaflets, this variety and A. heterophylla, but the two are so unlike that there is no possibility of confusion. In both this variety and var. pubescens the stipe is twice as long as the ovary or longer, a condition seen otherwise only in A. insignis var. insignis and A. polypbylla; the former has much larger flowers and the latter more and narrower leaflets.