Humiria balsamifera var. parvifolia (A.Juss.) Cuatrec.
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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
Type: St. Hilaire, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. There is no type cited for Humirium arenarium Guillemin (in schaedula) as was informally described by Baillon. Several specimens of the Paris Herbarium labeled as H. arenarium belong to the variety parmfolia. The notation "M. Guillemin Cat. 205, Restingas de Tocaia, Humirium arenarium Nob" of one specimen must have been written by Guillemin himself, and I consider it to be the type.
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Description
Description - Leaves small, subcoriaccous or coriaceous, glabrous, obovate, obovate-elliptic or oblong-obovate, narrowed toward the base, cuneate, short-petiolate or sessile, rounded, truncate or very obtuse, emarginate at apex, entire or obsolete-crenulate, the secondary nerves slightly conspicuous; 1.5 (rarely 5) cm. long, 0.8-2.5 cm. broad. Young branchlets generally angulate or narrow-winged and hirtellous-puberulous.
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Discussion
This variety with small leaves is a small tree or shrub, and is frequent in "catingas," "restingas," and "serras" of eastern Brazil, from Pernambuco to Matto Grosso and Rio de Janeiro. St. Hilaire noted that he collected the type of H. parvifolium "prope urbcm Cabo Frio in prov. Rio de Janeiro" and the type of H. montanum "prope vicum Itambe in montibus provinciae Minas Geraes" (pp. 89-90) . Curiously, the same variety (or a very close form) has been found in eastern Peru.