Licania robusta Sagot

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Licania robusta Sagot

  • Type

    Type. Melinon sn (1862), French Guiana, fl (holotype, P; isotypes, A, BM, F, GH, K, NY, R, US).

  • Synonyms

    Licania pachystachya Kleinhoonte

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 25.0 m tall, the young branches glabrous, conspicuously lenticellate. Leaves elliptic, coriaceous, 8.0-25.0 cm long, 4.5-8.5 cm thick, acuminate at apex, with acumen 5.0-15.0 mm long, rounded at base, glabrous above, the lower surface with dense brown-lanate pubescence obscuring the prominent deeply reticulate venation; midrib prominulous above, glabrous; primary veins 6-8 pairs, prominent beneath, prominulous above; petioles 1.2-2.0 cm long, glabrous, eglandular, canaliculate. Stipules linear, ca 4.0 mm long, glabrous, persistent, adnate to base of petiole. Inflorescences terminal and subterminal racemose panicles, the rachis glabrous or glabrescent, lenticellate, with puberulous to tomentellous branches. Flowers 2.5-3.0 mm long, solitary or in small groups on primary branches of inflorescence. Bracts and bracteoles 0.3-1.5 mm long, triangular to linear, subpersistent, exterior puberulous. Receptacle narrowly campanulate to urceolate, subsessile, exterior tomentellous, interior tomentose. Calyx lobes acute, tomentellous on both surfaces. Petals absent. Stamens 5-6, unilateral; filaments shorter than calyx lobes, glabrous. Ovary inserted at base of receptacle, tomentose. Style equalling filaments, lanate. Fruit (immature) oblong; epicarp with short yellow-brown pubescence.

  • Discussion

    Most of the Suriname collections cited above are from two trees in forest reserves that have been re-collected many times.

    Licania robusta may be distinguished from related species by the glabrous lenticellate rachis of the inflorescence, and by the long petioles.

  • Common Names

    Grootblad, Foengoe, Bongro, Goro-goro, Marishiballi, Weti-koko

  • Distribution

    Primary forest in the Guianas and Pará in Brazil.

    Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|