Hirtella scabra Benth.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella scabra Benth.

  • Type

    Type. Schomburgk 1051, Guyana, fl (holotype, K; isotypes, BM, CGE, F, NY).

  • Description

    Description - Shrub, the young branches tomentellous, becoming glabrous and lenticellate with age. Leaves ovate, thick-coriaceous, 2.5-7.0 cm long, 1.5-4.0 cm broad, acuminate at apex, with acumen 2.0-12.0 mm long, rounded at base, sparsely appressed-pubescent to glabrescent beneath, the palisade glands frequent, prominently reticulate-venose above; primary veins 7-9 pairs, prominulous on both surfaces; midrib prominulous above, prominent and hirsute beneath; petioles 2.0-3.0 mm long, terete, eglandular, tomentellous when young. Stipules 1.0-3.0 mm long, linear, caducous, eglandular. Inflorescences terminal and axillary panicles 2.0-9.0 cm long, the rachis and branches short-tomentellous. Bracts and bracteoles 10.-30. mm long, acute, persistent, tomentellous, eglandular. Flowers 4.0-6.0 mm long. Receptacle campanulate, tomentellous on exterior, glabrous within except at throat; pedicels 1.5-4.0 mm long. Calyx lobes acute, tomentellous on exterior, gray-pubescent within. Petals 5, white, glabrous. Stamens 5-7, unilateral; filaments glabrous, 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, hard, bony, hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    The type collection of this species; Schomburgk 1051, bears the same number as that of H. velutina, =H. glandulosa (no. 20). These two species are very different and the duplication no doubt merely reflects a mistake in the collector’s records.

    Flowering October to April.

  • Distribution

    Savannas and scrub forest in Venezuela and Guyana.

    Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|