Aldina macrophylla Spruce ex Benth.
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett, et al. 1953. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (2): 87-160.
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Tree to 17 m. tall, the vegetative parts except the upper leaflet surface appressed-puberulent; leaves 3-foliolate, the rachis 4 cm. long, the petiolules incrassate, finely corrugate transversely, 13 mm. long, the blades oblong, 21-22 cm. long, 8.5-9.5 cm. wide, the base rotund, the apex short-acuminate, the upper surface glabrous, nitid, with 12-16 pairs of primary veins barely prominulous, below subglaucous, with primary veins prominulous; inflorescence a sparselybranched panicle 20-30 cm. long, fulvo-puberulent, the pedicels 3-7 mm. long, the mature buds about 1.5 cm. long, ellipsoid; calyx densely fulvo-puberulent outside, sparsely flexuose-villose inside; petals 4, oblanceolate, 2-2.5 cm. long, 1 cm. wide; stamens glabrous, the filaments 2 cm, long, the anthers 7 mm. long, 0.6 mm. wide; stigma simple; style straight, 3.5 mm. long; ovary oblong-elliptic, 5 mm. long, 1.8 mm. wide, glabrous, 5-7-ovulate, the stipe slender, densely appressed-puberulent, 4 mm. long; fruit unknown.
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Discussion
The glabrous character of the ovary in this species is found elsewhere only in the preceding species, A. yapacanensis, from which it differs in having much larger and differently shaped leaflets. Also the inflorescence here is twice as long sometimes and only sparingly branched while in that species it is shorter and regularly branched.