Anomospermum reticulatum (Mart.) Eichler subsp. reticulatum
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Authority
Barneby, Rupert C. & Krukoff, Boris A. 1971. Supplementary notes on American Menispermaceae. VIII. A generic survey of the American Tricilisisae and Anomospermeae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 22: 1-89.
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Family
Menispermaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Leaf-blades ± setulose beneath, at least along primary nerves; reticulation of both faces about equally prominent and equally dense, the larger areoles 0.3-0.5 (exceptionally up to 0.7) mm diam; fruiting peduncle 0.6-2(-2.5) cm long, when short often greatly thickened, sometimes nearly as wide as long, when longer more slender. Drupe (2.7-)3-4.6 cm long, 1.9-3.2 cm wide, the exocarp variable in thickness, 0.6-4 mm thick in section (dry); endocarp 2.5-4 cm long, the ligneous testa 0.7-1.7 mm thick in section, externally smooth between the finely incised reticulation, undulately veiny but unarmed within, the dorsal-longitudinal wing 0 or narrow, intruded not over 1 mm deep into the cavity.
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution (31 collections): Colombia (Amazonas) and Amazonian Brazil, where widely distributed, usually on varzea land, through Para, Amazonas, Acre, and Territories Roraima and Rondonia. In the State of Para collected in the basins of Rio Amazonas (proper), Rio Xingu, Rio Tapajos, Rio Jamunda, Rio Trombetas, Rio Cumina-Mirim, Rio Tajaparu and many other localities; in the State of Amazonas in the basins of the upper Rio Solimoes, Rio Iga, Rio Tonantins, Rio Japura, Rio Negro, Igarape Jandiatuba, Rio Jurua, and Rio Madeira.
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Discussion
A. reticulatum (Mart.) Eichl. sens. str.
Comparative study of drupes from 12 collections of Amazonian A. reticulatum reveals two types, differing simultaneously in overall size and in thickness of the mealy-coriaceous exocarp. The larger drupe, (3.2-)3.5-4.6 cm long, 2.4-3.2 cm wide, is clad in a massive exocarp, when dried (1-) 1.5-3 (-4) mm thick (Rodrigues et al. 2488, 2702; Egler 211; Ducke 1966; Black & Magalhdes 51-12863; Froes 20633, 28278). The smaller drupe, 2.7-3.3 cm long, 1.9-2.3 cm wide, has the testa no thinner than in the preceding but a thin exocarp, ± 0.6-0.7 mm thick (Bach s n (HAMP 4149); Froes 23855, 31522). Because plants bearing these two fruit-types are otherwise identical, so far as we can determine, it is only those collected in fruit which provide hard evidence on dispersal, and it is far from clear whether these do or do not represent geographic differentiation. From the data at hand it appears that the larger fruit is commoner, but found as yet only along the Amazon-Solimoes and its affluents from the north in Amazonas, Territory Roraima, and Para. It is reasonable to suppose that the sterile type of A. reticulatum, collected on Rio Japura in Amazonas, represents the thick-shelled phase. The range of the thin-shelled type is poorly documented by three gatherings, two from southern affluents of the Amazon in Para (Rio Xingu and Planalto de Santarem) and, disjunctly, by one from Igarape Jandiatuba in distant western Amazonas. Fruits from Acre and Territory Rondonia in Brazil and from Colombia are still lacking.