Hirtella hoehnei Pilg.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella hoehnei Pilg.

  • Type

    Types. Hoehne 2141, Brazil, Mato Grosso, fl (holotype,B, lost; photos, F, NY); 2154 fl (paratype, SP 5596); 2155 fl (paratype, R).

  • Description

    Description - Shrub to 5.0 m tall, the young branches tomentellous. Leaves ovate to ovate-elliptic, coriaceous, 4.5-15.0 cm long, 2.5-7.0 cm broad, acute to acuminate at apex, with acumen 0-4.0 mm long, subcordate at base, hirsute along venation beneath, with palisade glands towards base; primary veins 7-11 pairs, plane to prominulous above, prominent beneath; midrib prominulous above, prominent and hirsute beneath; petioles 2.0-4.0 mm long, villous-tomentellous, terete, eglandular. Stipules lanceolate, tomentose, to 6.0 mm long, persistent, eglandular. Inflorescences densely clustered terminal and subterminal panicles 8.0-20.0 cm long, the rachis and branches hirsutulous. Bracts and bracteoles 2.0-5.0 mm long, acute, oblong, membraneous, hirsutulous, persistent, the margins with numerous stipitate glands. Flowers 7.0-8.0 mm long. Receptacle campanulate, hirsutulous on exterior, glabrous within except for deflexed hairs at throat; pedicels 2.0-4.0 mm long, Calyx lobes acute, hirsutulous on exterior, gray-pubescent within, the margins with stipitate glands. Petals 5, white, glabrous. Stamens 7, unilateral, with short filamentous staminodes opposite them, the filaments far exceeding calyx lobes. Style hirsute up to one third its length. Ovary inserted at mouth of receptacle, pilose. Fruit ellipsoid; epicarp smooth, glabrous; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, bony, densely hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    This species is closely related to H. glandulosa, but may be distinguished by the densely crowded inflorescence, the leaf shape, and the prominent venation of the upper surface of the leaf. I have not yet chosen a lectotype of this species because of the poor condition of the two paratypes which I have examined.

    Flowering May to October

  • Distribution

    Beside rivers and in wet open marshy places (brejos) on the Planalto of central Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Mato Grosso Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|