Licania latifolia Benth. ex Hook.f.
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Authority
Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9: 1-410. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Chrysobalanaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Spruce 457, Brazil, Para, fr (holotype, K; isotypes, CGE, NY, OXF, P).
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Synonyms
Licania obovata Benth. ex Hook.f.
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Description
Description - Tree to 25.0 m tall or shrub, the young branches pubescent, soon becoming glabrous and lenticellate. Leaves obovate to oblong-elliptic, thick-coriaceous, 6.0-20.0 cm long, 4.5-10.5 cm broad, rounded to bluntly apiculate at apex, rounded to subcuneate at base, glabrous on upper surface, prominently reticulate beneath, with sparse hirsute pubescence on venation; palisade glands absent; midrib plane above, tomentose when young; primary veins 12-20 pairs, slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, arcuate near lamina margins; petioles 7.0-15.0 mm long, rufous-brown tomentose, terete, usually with two or more medial sessile glands. Stipules intrapetiolar, 3.0-8.0 cm long, triangular, acuminate, membraneous, persistent. Inflorescences spreading racemose panicles, the rachis and branches ferrugineous-tomentose. Flowers ca 2.5 mm long, sessile, in dense glomerules on branches of inflorescence. Bracts and bracteoles to 1.5 mm long, ovate, persistent, tomentose on exterior. Receptacle urceolate, sessile, ferrugineous-tomentose on exterior, tomentose within. Calyx lobes acute, tomentose on both surfaces. Petals 5, ca 1 mm long, pubescent. Stamens 6-10, inserted in a complete circle; filaments connate for half of length, shorter than calyx lobes. Ovary inserted at base of receptacle, velutinous-tomentose. Style pilose throughout, equalling filaments. Fruit globose; epicarp rufous-velutinous; pericarp thin, hard, fibrous; sparsely pubescent within when young.
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Discussion
All the species in section Hirsuta are closely related. L. latifolia is nearest L. krukovii but differs in the blunt apex and greater thickness of the leaves. It is also similar to L. lasseri but differs in the larger number of primary leaf veins as well as in the greater number of stamens which have fused filaments. Further material is needed to determine whether L. krukovii is indeed a distinct species. Its separate recognition here is based on the small differences used by Standley to distinguish it from L. latifolia, and which are valid in the material seen by me.
Flowering July to December.
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Distribution
Non-flooded forest in Guyana and Amazonian Brazil.
Guyana South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|