Hirtella hispidula Miq.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella hispidula Miq.

  • Type

    Type. A. Focke sn, Suriname, fl (holotype, U).

  • Synonyms

    Hirtella egensis Fritsch, Hirtella subsetosa Fanshawe & Maguire

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 15.0 m tall, usually smaller, the young branches hirsute-hispid, becoming glabrous with age. Leaves elliptic to oblong, coriaceous, 5.5-15.0 cm long, 2.2-5.0 cm broad, acuminate at apex, with acumen 5.0-15.0 mm long, subcordate to rounded at base, hirsute on principal venation beneath, the palisade glands occasional; primary veins 8-12 pairs, prominulous on both surfaces; midrib prominulous above, prominent and hirsute beneath; petioles 1.5-3.0 mm long, terete, eglandular, hispid. Stipules 3.0-9.0 mm long, linear, persistent, hispid, eglandular. Inflorescences terminal and axillary racemes 6.5-28.0 cm long, the rachis hispidulous on lower portion. Bracts and bracteoles 1.5-3.5 mm long, linear-lanceolate, persistent, tomentellous-hispid, terminating at apex in a long thin stipitate gland, usually with several stipitate glands on margins. Flowers 4.0-5.o mm long. Receptacle campanulate, sparsely pilose on exterior, glabrous within except at throat; pedicels 2.0-8.0 mm long, eglandular. Calyx lobes acute, sparsely pilose to glabrescent on exterior, sparsely puberulous within. Petals 5, pinkish-purple, glabrous. Stamens 4-5, unilateral with toothed staminodes opposite them, the filaments far exceeding calyx lobes, glabrous. Style hirsute up to one third its length. Ovary inserted at mouth of receptacle, pilose-tomentose. Fruit ellipsoid; epicarp smooth, glabrous; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, hard, smooth, opening longitudinally, hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    This species is most closely related to H. pilosissima, but differs in the long-stipitate glands of the bracteoles, the almost glabrous leaf margins, and in the shorter petioles. Hirtella hispidula differs from H. racemosa in the stipitate bract glands, and in the pilose-hispid inflorescence and young branches.

    Much of the Guiana material cited has been distributed as H. strigulosa, Hirtella hispidula having been listed as a synonym of H. strigulosa by Kleinhoonte (in Pulle, Fl. Suriname 2(1): 445. 1939). However, the type of H. strigulosa differs from H. hispidula, as defined here, in the sessile bracteal glands, the larger petioles, and in the sparsely hispid young branches. In all respects, material distinguished as H. strigulosa, fits well into H. racemosa, and must be considered as part of that species, necessitating in turn, resurrection of the name H. hispidula for the present species. The confusion between H. hispidula and H. strigulosa was further complicated in that one collection of H. hispidula, Hostmann 175, was incorrectly labelled as the type of H. strigulosa.

  • Common Names

    Kleinbladige Anaura, Akianteifi-koko

  • Distribution

    Primary forest on high ground in the Guianas and Amazonia to northern Bolivia.

    Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America| Bolivia South America|