Erisma arietinum M.L.Kawas.
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Authority
Andersson, Lennart. 1998. A revision of the genus
(Rubiaceae--Cinchoneae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 81: 1-75. -
Family
Vochysiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Tree 20-30 m high, to 120 cm dbh; hairs where present yellowish; young twigs pubescent. Leaves opposite; blade coriaceous, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 7.5-10 X 3.5-5.5 cm. glabrous; apex acute or obtuse-acuminate; base obtuse to subcordate, mid-vein sulcate above, prominent below; lateral viens 8-10 pairs, immersed above, prominent below, angle with midvein 7 - 80º; tertiary veins randonly reticulate; marginal vein 1-2 mm from margin; petiole canaliculate, 8-10 mm long; stipules subulate, 1-2 mm long. Inflorescences terminal, to 15 cm long, peduncles and lateral branches tomentose; cincinni 2-3 cm long, tomentose; outer bracts lanceolate, to 3mm long; buds ca. 9 mm long; spurred calyx lobe ca. 10 mm long, spur subglobose, 103 mm long; other calyx-lobes 1-5 mm long; petal yellow, ca. 10 x 10 mm; stamen ca. 5mm long; style ca. 6mm long, pilose at the base. Fruits winged, puberulous, glabrescent, 5.5 - 8 cm long; major wing elliptic or narrowly ovate, 4.5 -6 x 2.5 - 3 cm; second major wing widely elliptic to elliptic, 2.5-3 x 1.5 -2 cm.
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Discussion
Erisma arietinum is similar in leaf characteristics to E. laurifolium, from which it is distinguished by the morphology of the outer bracts of the cincinni and the calyx-spur. The outer bracts of E. arietinum are early deciduous, lanceolate, and smaller than the buds; the spur is short and subglobose. The outer bracts of E. laurifolium are characteristically larger than the buds and remain on the inflorescences until the fruits start to develop; the spur is distinctly cylindric. This new species represents one of the first records of Erisma outside of the Amazon Basin and the Guianas. It is a tall tree, locally common in the moist forests of coastal Espirito Santo, eastern Brazil. Several other examples of this disjunct pattern of distribution at the generic level have been reported (Rizzini, 1963; Andrade-Lima, 1966; Prance & Mori, 1980; Mori et al., 1981; Daly, 1990). The epithet arietinum refers to the local name of the species, which means “ram.” It may be an allu¬sion to the yellowish and somewhat wooly pubescence on the inflorescences and flowers.