Couepia insignis Fritsch

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Couepia insignis Fritsch

  • Type

    Type. Blanchet 3209, Brazil, Bahia, fl (holotype, W; isotype, G).

  • Description

    Description - Tree. Leaves oblong, 15.0-24.0 cm long, 8.0-9.5 cm broad, rounded at apex, rounded to cordate at base, glabrous above, densely gray-arachnoid beneath; primary veins 21-25 pairs, impressed above, prominent beneath, arcuate and anastomosing near the lamina margin; petioles 8.0-11.0 mm long, sparsely pubescent, terete. Stipules linear, to 15.0 mm long, membraneous, caducous. Inflorescences few-flowered racemes, the rachis with short rufous pubesence. Bracts and bracteoles persistent, 10.0-28.0 mm long, oblong, acuminate, membraneous. Receptacle subcylindrical, 8.0-9.0 mm long, with short brown pubescence on exterior, glabrous within except for deflexed hairs at throat; pedicels 1.0-2.0 mm long. Calyx lobes oblong-lanceolate, 10.0-12.0 mm long, acute. Petals 5, ciliate on margins. Stamens numerous (over 50). Ovary villous. Style pubescent for three fourths its length. Fruit unknown.

  • Discussion

    This species is nearest C. macrophylla, but differs in the shorter subcylindrical receptacle, the acute calyx lobes, the ciliate margins, the smaller leaves, and in the primary veins anastomosing at the lamina margin. Couepia insignis differs from the C. bracteosa species group in its larger bracteoles, in the racemose inflorescence, and in the arcuately anastomosing leaf nerves.

  • Common Names

    Oiticoranga

  • Distribution

    Collected only in Bahia, but precise localities as yet unknown.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America|