Humiria balsamifera var. savannarum (Gleason) Cuatrec.

  • Authority

    Cuatrecasas, José. 1961. A taxonomic revision of the Humiriaceae. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 35: 25-214. pl. 1-24.

  • Family

    Humiriaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Humiria balsamifera var. savannarum (Gleason) Cuatrec.

  • Type

    Type: Tate 330, second sheet at NY, Venezuela, Amazonas, Esmeralda.

  • Description

    Description - Leaves linear-oblong or subelliptic-oblong, narrowed-cuneate at base, sessile or subpetiolate, 5-10 cm. long, subacuminate and suddenly obtuse at apex, frequently emarginate and minutely mucronulate, the margin entire with some or no glands beneath, 5-10 cm. long, 1.5-3.5 cm. broad. Petals puberulous outside in the type specimen (the others lack flowers). Fruit oblong-ellipsoid, about 14X8 mm.

  • Discussion

    This variety is a narrow-leaf form of H. balsamifera found on the savannas of Esmeralda and the low Roraima Mountains. The typical leaves are narrow-sublanceolate with blunt apex and cuneate base with a 0-2 mm. long petiole. The forms with smaller and thicker leaves (e.g., Shomburgk 628) are transitional to variety coriacea.