Licania granvillei Prance

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1989. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9S: 1-267. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Licania granvillei Prance

  • Type

    Type. French Guiana. Saul, Monts La Fumée, 3° 37' N, 53° 12' W, 200-400 m, 21 Aug 1982 (fl), Mori & Boom 14764 (holotype, NY; isotype, CAY).

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 30 m tall, the young branches sparsely puberulous, soon becoming glabrous. Leaf lamina oblong, thickly coriaceous, 6-13 × 2.3-6 cm, cuneate to subcuneate at base, finely acuminate at apex, the acumen 10-25 mm long, glabrous on both surfaces, without stomatal cavities; midrib prominent on both surfaces, glabrous; primary veins 12-16 pairs, prominulous on both surfaces, glabrous; petioles 5-8 mm long, canaliculate above, glabrous, eglandular, rugulose. Stipules caducous (not seen). Inflorescences of racemose panicles 6-12 cm long, the rachis and branches sparsely appressed pubescent, appearing dark because pubescence does not form a complete covering. Bracts and bracteoles minute, 0.25 mm long, membranous. Flowers 2-3 mm long, sessile along primary branches of inflorescence. Receptacle campanulate, sparsely puberulous to glabrous on exterior, densely tomentose within, sessile. Calyx lobes five, acute, puberulous on both surfaces, with tomentellous margins. Petals absent. Stamens 12, inserted around complete circle, the filaments exserted beyond calyx lobes, glabrous, but densely tomentose around base, free to base. Ovary inserted at base of receptacle, sparsely lanate. Style exserted, sparsely tomentose for half of length. Fruit globose to ellipsoid, 5.5 cm long x 3.5-4 cm broad, glabrous and lenticellate on exterior; mesocarp fleshy, 3-4 mm thick; endocarp hard, bony, 1 mm thick, glabrous within.

  • Discussion

    This species is close to Licania apetala, especially to its var. aperta, but differs in the larger flowers, the larger, thicker leaves with a much more attenuate apex, and the minute bracteoles.

    The Brazilian and Colombian material in fruit was kept aside as a possible new species at the time of my monograph (Prance, 1972), and it is now possible to describe it with the new material from French Guiana. This species is known in both localities from the hill slopes of mountains. It is named for J-J. de Granville who has done much to interpret the flora of French Guiana.

  • Distribution

    (Fig. 42). Upland forest on terra firme in hills from Colombia to French Guiana.

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