Chrysobalanus venezuelanus Prance
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Authority
Prance, Ghillean T. 1989. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9S: 1-267. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Chrysobalanaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Venezuela. Bolívar: Icabarú River region, headwater of Río Hacha, 450-850 m, 3 Jan 1956 (fl), A. L. Bernardi 2777 (holotype, NY; isotype, NY).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Species a C. cuspidato foliis coriaceis, latiori-bus, ramulis juvenilibus haud conspicue lenti-cellatis, inflorescentiis ferrugineo-pubescentibus differt.
Description - Tree to 10 m tall, the young branches sparsely puberulous to glabrescent. Leaf lamina oblong-elliptic, coriaceous, 5.5-11 × 2.2-4.2 cm, cuneate at base, caudate at apex, the acumen 10-17 mm long, glabrous and shiny above, glabrous beneath except for appressed hairs on midrib and primary veins of lower surface of very young leaves; midrib prominulous above, prominent beneath; primary veins 6-8 pairs, widely spaced, prominulous on both surfaces; petioles 2-4 mm long, terete, rugulose, glabrous. Stipules, caducous, membranous, axillary. Inflorescences of few-flowered cymules inserted on rachis to 5 cm long, the rachis and branches ferrugineous-pubescent; bracts and bracteoles ovate, membranous, puberulous on exterior, ca. 1 mm long, caducous. Flowers 3 mm long, inserted in small cymules; receptacle campanulate, tomentellous on exterior, tomentose within; calyx lobes rounded, tomentellous; petals five, ovate, glabrous; stamens 14-15, inserted around complete circle, the filaments shortly exserted, pubescent; ovary inserted at base of receptacle, lanate; style equalling filaments in length. Fruit (only seen young) oblong, deeply costate; exocarp glabrous except when very young.
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Discussion
This species differs from the closely related Chrysobalanus cuspidatus (Fig. 21) of the Lesser Antilles in the more robust inflorescence branches with a ferrugineous, not gray pubescence, the broader, more coriaceous leaves, and the less conspicuously lenticellate young branches. This is a most interesting occurrence of the genus Chrysobalanus since it is from inland continental South America. The genus is predominantly coastal (C. icaco) and from cloud forest in the Lesser Antilles (C. cuspidatus). The new species, C. venezuelanus, is found at elevations between 450 and 850 m and is thus in a habitat very similar to that of C. cuspidatus in the montane forests of Guadeloupe and Martinique.
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Distribution
Forest on terra firme in eastern Venezuela.
Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America|