Vismia amazonica Ewan
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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.
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Family
Clusiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type in the U.S. National Herbarium, no. 1,461,142, collected at Iquitos, Department of Loreto, Peru, alt. about 100 meters, Aug. 2-8, 1929, by E. P. Killip and A. C. Smith (no. 27378). Paratypes: BRITISH GUIANA: Karinyi, Upper Essequebo River, Myers 5764 (K, panicle exceptionally open). COLOMBIA: Caquetá: Sucre, banks of Río Hacha, 1000 m., Cuatrecasas 9015 (US). PERU: Loreto: Mishuyacu, near Iquitos, 100 m., Klug 317 (F, US), "pichirina," Klug 1524 (US). San Martin: Tarapoto, 750 m., L. Williams 5379 (F, US); Moyobamba, Sandeman 163 (K. OXF). BOLIVIA: Cochabamba: Colonia Presidente Busch, Puerto Polonia, Río Coni, 14 km. east of San Antonio, 395 m., Cárdenas & Cutler 7202 (US). BRAZIL: Amazonas: Parintins, Ducke 130 p.p. (A, F); near Urucurituba, Munic. Borba, Krukoff 5946 (BM, G, K, S, U, US). Pará: Upper Rio Cupary, plateau between Xingu and Tapajos Rivers, Krukoff 1075 (A, BM, G, K, S, U), 1175 (A, BM, G, K, S, IT); Belém, Utinga, Schultes 8071 (US); Santarem, May 1850, Spruce (CGE, NY, TCD).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Arbor 3-15 m. alta, trunco gracili, 3-5 cm. diam., ramis castaneis, deorsum glabris, sursum aliquantum rufo-tomentulosis sicut axibus panicularum; foliis superioribus non reductis, laminis omnibus ovatis, basi obtusis, apice acuminatis, cuspidatis, vel saepe subcaudatis, supra glabris et nitentibus, subtus subglabratis, valde sparse rufo-tomentellis praecipue in venis secundariis, 12-15 cm. longis, 5.5-8.0 cm. latis, petiolatis, petiolis gracilibus 12-14 mm. longis; paniculis dense cymiformibus 8-10 (13) cm. longis, pedicellis ultimis ca. 5 mm. longis; floribus parvis; sepalis 5 (6) mm. longis, dense tomentellis, marginibus membranaceis et angustis 0.5 mm. latis, ciliolatis vel subciliatis; petalis obovatis ovalibusve, breviter unguiculatis, 5-8 mm. longis, simpliciter lineatis, intus villossissimis viridi-flavis; staminibus inclusis; fructibus ignotis.
Description - Tree 3-15 m. high, the trunk slender, 3-5 cm. in diameter breast high, the branchlets chestnut-brown and more or less rufous-tomentulose, like the rachis of the inflorescence ; leaves little if at all reduced up to the panicle, the blades all ovate, rounded at the base, acuminate or cuspidate or often contracted to a slender subcaudate tip, glabrous and shining above, appearing glabrous below, but actually thinly rufous-tomentulose beneath, more strongly so along the larger veins, 12-15 cm. long, 5.5-8.0 cm. wide, the petioles slender, 12-14 mm. long; panicle compactly cymosely branching, 8-10 or 13 cm. long, the ultimate pedicels about 5 mm. long; flowers small, the sepals mostly 5 (rarely 6) mm. long, closely tomentulose with a narrow membranous border about 0.5 mm. wide, ciliolate along the whole margin or at least on the distal half; petals obovate or oval, short-clawed, 5-8 mm. long, simply lineate with fine dark lines, copiously hairy within, greenish-yellow, the unopened buds light gray-green; stamens included; fruit unknown.
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Discussion
Most of the collections of Vismia amazonica have been identified previously as V. confertiflora. V. amazonica was distinguished from that species, however, by Eyma, in the Utrecht Herbarium without proposing a name for it. Its small flowers recall V. micrantha, although actually they are somewhat larger and intermediate in size between the V. micrantha group and the Section Euvismia. The leaves of V. amazonica average definitely smaller than those of V. confertiflora and are ovate and acuminate rather than ovate-oblong and obtuse. V. amazonica may be distinguished from V. reichardtiana of eastern Brazil, which it recalls in its lustrous shining leaves, by the ovate rather than lanceolate blades. V. amazonica differs from V. confertiflora in that the sepals of the former have the hyaline border distinctly ciliolate. The upper surface of the leaf-blades in V. amazonica is yellowish-green and shining, and the leaf-blades are smaller and often rhomboid, whereas in V. confertiflora they are generally larger and ovate.