Vismia glaziovii Ruhland

• Authority

  Ewan, Joseph A. 1962. Synopsis of the South American species of Vismia (Guttiferae). Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 35: 293-377. pls. 1-5.

• Family

  Clusiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Vismia glaziovii Ruhland

• Type

  Syntypes: "Brasilia: civit. Goyaz ad Corrego Fundo in sylvis prope Jaragua, m. Aug. fl. (Glaziou n. 20G94), ibidem in sylvis ad Rio Areas, m. Sept. fl. (Glaziou n. 20695)." Photo FM 9162, of a specimen in the Berlin Herbarium, bears a printed label indicating it as Glaziou 20695, the second syntype cited, and a handwritten ticket reading "Glaziou 20694, Corrego Fundo dans le bois près de Jaragua, Goyaz, 23 Août 1895; arbuste; fl. jaunâtre," indicating the first syntype. The plant is certainly authentic, but which syntype it is is uncertain.

• Description

  Latin Diagnosis - "Frutex ramis teretiusculis vel paullum compresso-tetragonis, pruinoso-canescentibus, cito glabriusculis, internodiis 5-6 cm. longis; foliorum petiolis circiter 1 cm. longis, supra leviter canaliculars, primum dense incano-puberulis, foliorum lamina ovata, basi rotundata, cuspidato-acuminata, apice ipso obtuso instructa, 10-15 cm. longa, paullo infra medium 5-6 cm lata, integerrima subcoriaceo chartacea, supra pallide subolivaceo-vel glaucescenti-viridi, nitida, glaberrima, subtus tomento in junioribus uberiore, canescente, e pilis stellatis, hyalinis vel basi spadiceolis formato instructa, penninervi, venis ordinis primarii 12-16 parallelis, 7-14 mm distantibus, reticulatim anastomosantibus; thyrsis terminalibus et axillaribus, pedunculatis, 4-8 cm longis, rhachide, ramis, pedicellis dense incano-, rare subferrugineo-tomentosis; calycis laciniis oblongo-ellipticis vel lato-lanceolatis, extus densissime et persistenter incanotomentosis, intus glabris et 3-5-vittatis, integerrimis, tenuiter membranaceo-marginatis, planis vel vix concavis; petalis flavescentibus calycem dimidio superantibus, evittatis et epunctatis, obovatis, brevissime unguiculatis, acutiusculis, flabellato-venosis, flavis (?), extus glabris, intus dense pilis incanis, rigidulis vestitis; staminibus multipartitis, villosis, calycem superantibus; staminodiis parvis, ellipticis, obtusiusculis, crassiusculis, praesertim apice longe villosis, vix 1 mm aequantibus; germine globoso, glabro, 2-2.5 mm longo; stylis 3 mm longis, filiformibus, rectis vel subflexuosis, capitellatis."

• Discussion

  I was first inclined to include the name as a synonym of Vismia pentagyna or, less satisfactorily, of V. reichardtiana. However, V. glaziovii comes from an area fioristically different from Ceará and, on the basis of other instances of local Brazilian species studied in this and other genera, I am tentatively accepting the species pending more evidence. The leaves, judging from the type collection alone, are broadly ovate, more like those of V. latifolia than either V. pentagyna or V. reichardtiana, and the raceme is more densely crowded and the small flowers are more numerous. The pubescence of the lower leaf-surface agrees with that of V. reichardtiana.