Vantanea obovata (Nees & Mart.) Benth.
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Authority
Cuatrecasas, José. 1961. A taxonomic revision of the Humiriaceae. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 35: 25-214. pl. 1-24.
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Family
Humiriaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Types: Martius, Brazil, Minas Geraes, Tejuco. St. Hilaire, Bomfin, Brazil, Minas Geraes, Minas Novas (type of Helleria ovalifolia Juss.)
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Description
Description - Tree with subterete, granulate-lenticellate, glabrous or scarcely puberulous, terminal branclilets. Loaves rigid, coriaceous, glabrous. Petioles 6-12 mm. long, subterete more or less sulcate above. Leaf blades entire, obovate or obovate-clliptic, obtusely or acutely cuneate at base, rounded or very obtuse and often retuse at apex, 4-10 cm. long, 2.5-6 cm. wide; above lustrous, with slightly prominent main nerves, the smaller ones less conspicuous; midrib and 8-9 pairs of secondary nerves prominent beneath, the latter subascendent, curving and anastomosing near the margin, smaller veins prominulous and reticulate, often with glandspots on the nerves at the middle. Inflorescence cymose-paniculato, dichotomous, ending the branchlets or in the axils of the upper leaves; peduncle strong, sparingly puberulous, the branchlcts rather thick and densely hirtellous. Pedicels thick, about 2 mm. long, densely hirtulo-pubescent. Bracts ovate, about 1.5 mm. long, soon deciduous. Calyx about 2 mm. high, pubescent, with suborbicular, ciliate lobes. Petals white, linear-oblong, 10-13 mm. long, 2.5-3 mm. wide, densely hirtulo-pubescent outside with spreading or retrorse hairs, margin glabrous, estivation contorted. Stamens more than 100; 2-3 seriate, united at base in a cup; the filaments glabrous, unequal, 6-9 mm. long. Anthers ovate-lanceolate, 0.8-0.9 mm. long, with fleshy, lanceolate connective and 4 elliptic, basilar lobes. Disk annular, girdling the ovary, glabrous, 1 mm. high. Ovary subglobose, 2 mm. high, densely hirsute-villose, with 5 biovulate cells. Style thick, erect, pilose only at base, 4-6 mm. long. Stigmas obtuse. Drupe ovoid, rounded at base, obtuse at apex, densely tomentous, about 2.2 cm. long, 1.6 cm. diameter.