Licania dealbata Hook.f.

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9: 1-410. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Licania dealbata Hook.f.

  • Type

    Types. Gardner 2836, Brazil, Pernambuco, fl (lectotype, K; isolectotype, BM, CGE); Martius sn, Brazil, Bahia, fl (paratype, M).

  • Description

    Description - Low suffrutex or shrub, the young branches puberulous, becoming glabrous with age, obscurely lenticellate. Leaves oblong to oblong-ovate, coriaceous, 4.0-7.0 cm long, 2.0-3.5 cm broad, acuminate or acute at apex, with acumen to 5.0 mm long, glabrous on upper surface, the lower surface with deep reticulation obscured by dense lanate white pubescence; midrib plane or slightly impressed above, sparsely pubescent towards base; primary veins 6-8 pairs, prominent beneath, more or less plane above; petioles 2.0-5.0 mm long, pubescent, eglandular, terete. Stipules lanceolate, 3.0-5.0 mm long, coriaceous, persistent, adnate to extreme base of petiole. Inflorescences terminal and axillary panicles, the rachis and branches gray-puberulous. Flowers ca 2.5 mm long, in few-flowered cymules attached to primary branches by long slender peduncles. Bracts and bracteoles 0.2-1.0 mm long, ovate, persistent, puberulous on exterior. Receptacle campanulate, gray-tomentellous on exterior, tomentellous within; pedicels ca 0.25 mm long. Calyx lobes acute, tomentellous-puberulous on both surfaces. Petals absent. Stamens 6-7, unilateral; filaments shorter than calyx lobes, glabrous, free to base. Ovary inserted at base of receptacle, villous. Style equalling filaments, sparsely pubescent throughout. Fruit pyriform, ca 2.0 cm long; epicarp with short-appressed-velutinous pubescence; mesocarp thick, hard, fibrous; endocarp thin, hard, fibrous, hirsutulous within.

  • Discussion

    Licania dealbata may be distinguished from nearly related species by the deeply reticulate leaf undersurface with white-lanate pubescence, the number of stamens, and the low stature.

    Flowering March to June.

  • Common Names

    Manja-croite

  • Distribution

    Cerrados of the Planalto of Central Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|