Clusia gundlachii Stahl
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Clusiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Clambering shrub attaining 7 m in length, with abundant cream-colored latex. Trunk cylindrical, tip to 10 cm in diameter at the base: branches pendulous, opposite, subcylindrical or slightly compressed, glabrous, with long, pendulous aerial roots. Leaves opposite; blades 5.5-10 x 2.1-6 cm, oblanceolate, elliptical, oval, or ovate, coriaceous, glabrous, the apex acute or obtuse, the base cuneiforme to obtuse, the margins entire, revolute; upper surface dark, slightly shiny, with the midvein yellowish; lower surface yellowish green, with a prominent midvein; petioles thick, 1-2 cm long. Flowers numerous, unisexual, arranged in dichasial cymes to form a terminal thyrse, as long as wide. Calyx green, crateriform, of 4 sepals, concave, rounded, in 2 series, the 2 outer sepals ca. 3 mm long, the inner ones ca. 4 mm long; corolla tubular, ellipsoid or ovoid, 2-3 mm long; staminate flowers with 10 stamens included within the corolla; pistillate flowers with sterile stamens, ovary urceolate, 4-locular, the stigmas sessile. In addition to the fertile inflorescences, this species produces sterile inflorescences, pendulous, much branched, with numerous green bracts, opposite and decussate along the axes. Capsule fleshy, ovoid or ellipsoid, 1.6-2 cm long, greenish, opening by 4-5 valves, each of which contains a row of minute, elliptical seeds, covered with a sticky orange matrix.
Phenology - Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
Conservation Status - Endemic to Puerto Rico, rather common.
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Discussion
This species, described by Dr. Agustin Stahl, was dedicated to Dr. Juan Gundlach, a German naturalist resident in Cuba, who had visited Puerto Rico in 1873 and in 1875-76. This species is superficially similar to Clusia minor L., which can be distinguished from C. gundlachii by the following key.
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Common Names
cupey de altura, bejuca de cupey, cupeillo de altura