Hirtella corymbosa Cham. & Schltdl.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella corymbosa Cham. & Schltdl.

  • Type

    Type. Sellow sn, Brazil, fl (holotype, LE; isotype fragments CGE, K, P).

  • Description

    Species Description - Low shrub, the young branches tomentellous becoming glabrous with age. Leaves elliptic, coriaceous, 3.0-5.5 cm long, 1.5-3.0 cm broad, acute at apex, rounded to subcordate at base, glabrous beneath, with a few palisade glands towards base; primary veins 7-8 pairs, prominulous on both surfaces; midrib prominent on both surfaces, appressed-pubescent beneath; petioles o.5-1.0 mm long, terete, eglandular, sparsely tomentellous. Stipules ca 1.0 mm long, ovate, tomentellous, eglandular, caducous. Inflorescences short terminal corymbose panicles to 3.0 mm long, the rachis and branches sparsely tomentellous. Bracts and bracteoles 1.0-2.0 mm long, oblong-triangular, acute, puberulous, persistent, eglandular. Flowers 4.0-6.o mm long. Receptacle campanulate, puberulous on exterior, glabrous within except for retrorse hairs at throat. Calyx lobes rounded to acute, puberulous on both surfaces. Petals 5, glabrous. Stamens 3-4, unilateral. Style glabrous except at base only. Ovary inserted near mouth of receptacle, pilose. Fruit ellipsoid (young fruit only seen); epicarp smooth, glabrous; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, bony, hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    The Sellow material cited above is without collector’s number. One Berlin sheet, now lost, but seen as a photograph, bore the inscription Sellow 45. The British Museum has a sheet of this species marked Sellow 856. It is uncertain whether the Sellow material represents more than one gathering. In addition, there is a sheet of H. corymbosa in the Praha herbarium (PRC) marked "Herb Tausch", which is probably part of the type material.

    Hirtella corymbosa is closest to H. punctulata, but differs in the fewer stamens, the acute leaf apex, and the glabrous style.

  • Distribution

    Known only from the State of Espirito Santo, eastern Brazil. Growing in open savanna.

    Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America|