Couepia bondarii Prance

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Couepia bondarii Prance

  • Type

    Type. Bondar 1863, Brazil, Bahia, without precise locality, fl (holotype, SP).

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Arbor?, ramulis juvenilibus glabris. Stipulae lanceolatae, membranaceae, ad 30 mm longae, caducae. Folia alternata petiolata; petiolo 6.0-10.0 mm longo, tomentello, tereti; laminae oblongo-lanceolatae, 15.0-25.0 cm longae, 3.5-7.0 cm latae, apice in acuminem plus minusve 5.0 mm longum contractae, basi subcuneatae, superne glabrae, subtus dense rufo-brunneo-arachnoideo-pubescentes; costa media supra glabra, leviter prominente; costis secundariis 17-25 jugis, supra planis, subtus prominentibus. Flores 20.0-30.0 mm longi, in racemis fasciculatis terminalibus axillaribusque dispositi, rachi ferrugineo-tomentelli. Bracteae bracteolaeque magnae, ovatae, persistentes, ad 25.0 mm longae, extus dense brunneo-puberulae, intus sparse puberulae. Receptaculum sessile, tubulosum, 12.0-15.0 mm longum, extus rufo-tomentellum, intus prope faucem pilis longis deflexis ornatum, versus basim glabrum. Calycis-lobi acuti, rufo-tomentelli, 10.0-16.0 mm longi. Petala 5, extus sericea. Stamina circa 65, in orbem completum disposita, basi ad 1.5 mm connata. Ovarium ad faucem receptaculi insertum, pilosum. Stylus e basi ovarii ortus, tomentosum. Fructus mihi ignoti.

  • Discussion

    This species is most closely related to C. insignis and C. martinii, but is distinct from both. It differs from C. insignis in the leaf veins which do not anastomose, the much narrower leaves usually with subcuneate bases, the shorter petioles, the large flowers, and the tubular receptacle. It differs from C. martinii in the narrower oblong-lanceolate leaves, the larger number of primary leaf veins, the much thicker rufous-brown pubescence of the leaf underside, the denser pubescence of the inflorescence and flowers, and the shorter thicker receptacle tube.

    This species is named after Gregorio Bondar whose collections from Bahia are rich in novelties.

  • Distribution

    Known only from two collections, one from the State of Bahia, Brazil, and the other without any locality.

    Brazil South America|