Hirtella silicea Griseb.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella silicea Griseb.

  • Type

    Type. Crueger sn, Trinidad, fl (K; fragment NY).

  • Synonyms

    Hirtella melinonii Benoist, Hirtella manigera Kleinhoonte

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 10.0 m tall or shrub, the young branches tomentellous, becoming glabrous with age. Leaves oblong, chartaceous to thin-coriaceous, 10.0-22.0 cm long, 3.0-9.0 cm broad, acuminate at apex, with acumen 6.0-15.0 cm long, subcordate to rounded at base, sparsely appressed pubescent beneath, especially on venation, with palisade glands at base only; primary veins 8-12 pairs, prominulous above, prominent beneath; midrib prominulous and tomentellous above when young, prominent beneath; petioles 1.5-3.5 mm long, terete, eglandular, tomentellous. Stipules 2.0-3.0 mm long, linear, filamentous, persistent, tomentellous, eglandular. Inflorescences terminal and axillary racemes 4.5-27.0 cm long, the rachis tomentellous. Bracts 2.0-6.0 mm long, oblong, tomentellous, persistent, with few to numerous stipitate glands. Flowers ca 5.0 mm long, Receptacle campanulate, sparsely hirsute-tomentellous on exterior, glabrous within except at throat; pedicels 4.0-9.o mm long, eglandular. Calyx lobes acute, sparsely tomentellous on exterior, gray-puberulous within. Petals 5, glabrous, white to pink. Stamens 5-6, unilateral, with short filamentous staminodes opposite them, the filaments glabrous, far exceeding calyx lobes. Style hirsute up to one third its length. Ovary inserted at mouth of receptacle. Fruit ellipsoid; epicarp smooth, glabrous; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, hard, bony, hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    As there are no differences among species labelled H. silicea, H. melinonii, and H. manigera, the two latter species are herewith reduced to synonymy. The identity of H. melinonii has been somewhat confused in the past because Melinon collections of two different species have been distributed under the same name. The holotype and the original description of H. melinonii match H. silicea. However, some material marked as the isotype of H. melinonii at Kew and Paris belongs to another species which is described here as H. tenuifolia.

    Hirtella silicea may be distinguished from related species by the large stipitate glands, the large leaves, and the long inflorescence.

    Flowering throughout the year.

  • Common Names

    Candelita, Hija, Naranjillo, Bokobokotokon, Tijantesie

  • Distribution

    Forest on high ground in Venezuela, Trinidad and the Guianas.

    Venezuela South America| Sucre Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America|