Tapura guianensis Aubl.

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Dichapetalaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 10: 1-84. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Dichapetalaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tapura guianensis Aubl.

  • Type

    TYPE. Aublet s n, French Guiana, fl (BM, P).

  • Synonyms

    Tapura negrensis Suess., Rohria schreberi J.F.Gmel., Rohria tapura J.F.Gmel., Rohria petioliflora Willd., Chailletia sessiliflora, Tapura cucullata Benth.

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree to 9.0 m tall or shrub, the young branches glabrous or sparsely puberulous, soon becoming glabrous. Leaves most frequently oblong to ovate-elliptic rarely oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, coriaceous, 6.0-23.0 cm long, 2.1-9.0 cm broad, acuminate at apex, the acumen 4.0-18.0 mm long, rounded to cuneate and unequal at base, glabrous or with a few stiff appressed hairs beneath; midrib impressed above, prominent and glabrous or with a few stiff appressed hairs only beneath; primary veins 7-14 pairs, arcuate, anastomosing; petioles 5.0-14.0 mm long, sparsely puberulous to appressed pubescent when young becoming less pubescent with age, rugose, terete to shallowly canaliculate. Stipules lanceolate, to 2.0 mm long, caducous. Flowers hermaphrodite, sessile or on short pedicels, borne in dense sessile glomerules inserted on upper portion of petioles; bracteoles 0.5-1.0 mm long, persistent, pubescent. Calyx 3.5~5.5 mm long, tomentellous to sparsely puberulous on exterior, the lobes unequal. Corolla exserted beyond calyx lobes, consisting of 2 larger bicucullate and 3 smaller simple lobes, united at base to form a long tube, the tube glabrescent on exterior, filled by a dense lanate mass within. Fertile stamens 3, alternating with corolla lobes, the filaments inserted on corolla tube at base of the lobes, the bases densely pubescent, 2 staminodes present. Ovary 3 locular with 2 ovules in each loculus, pilose-tomentose on exterior. Style with trifid apex, pubescent throughout. Fruit ellipsoid to narrowly oblong, most frequently unilocular, but often bilocular; epicarp with a short compact velutinous pubescence; mesocarp very thin; endocarp very thin, hard, bony, glabrous within.

    Distribution and Ecology - Primary forest on flooded and non-flooded ground in the Guianas and Amazonia. Flowering throughout the year in the Guianas, especially November to April; most commonly flowering August to January in Amazonia.

  • Discussion

    Several authors have already commented on Aublet’s interpretation of the flower of T. guianensis. His figure of the flower is quite inaccurate since it completely misinterprets the corolla and the stamens. I have examined the Aublet type to confirm the identity of this species, and later authors, such as Baillon (1886), were correct in their interpretation of T. guianensis.

    Tapura guianensis is the commonest and most widespread species of Tapura, and consequently it is also the most variable morphologically. The flower structure is quite uniform throughout the range except for minor variations in size. The leaf size and shape however, is quite variable. This variation was examined carefully and it was found to be continuous and not well correlated geographically. Consequently it is not recognized formally here. The variation in leaf shape is illustrated in Figure 23. This figure shows the tendency to a large narrow leaf on the upper Rio Negro (23M), which was described as both T. negrensis and T. cucullata. These two names represent the same variation of the upper Rio Negro which cannot be maintained as a separate taxon. There is also a tendency to narrower and thinner leaves in Terr. Amapa and Para, Brazil. This variation is also too inconsistent to recognize taxonomically. The same individual can show several of the different leaf types, as is shown well by collections from the forest reserves of Suriname made over a number of years from the same numbered trees.

  • Common Names

    Areka-yek, Hierrito, Jabón, Lukuchi-danni, Muribania, Waiaballi, Waidan, Boesi Kofi, Pakiratiki, Wassakao

  • Distribution

    Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America|