Hirtella margae Prance

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella margae Prance

  • Type

    Type. Suriname. Brokopondo Distr.: Brownsberg Nature Park, 21 Jan 1978 (fl, fr), Roberts LBB16303 (holotype, NY).

  • Description

    Description - Small trees to 3 m tall, the young branches glabrous, becoming lenticellate with age. Leaf lamina oblong to oblong-lanceolate, coriaceous, 21-27 × 6-9 cm, rounded to subcordate at base, acuminate at apex, the acumen 1-5.5 cm long, glabrous beneath except for a few stiff appressed hairs on venation; midrib prominulous and glabrous above; prominent and with sparse appressed pubescence beneath; primary veins 1518 pairs, prominulous above, prominent beneath; petioles 8-10 mm long, rugulose, with appressed pubescence of stiff long hairs, terete, eglandular. Stipules linear-lanceolate, persistent, 7-9 mm long, eglandular, appressed pubescent. Inflorescences of little-branched panicles with a central rachis and small groups of flowers on short branches and solitary flowers; the rachis dark brown-tomentellous. Bracts and bracteoles 3-6 mm long, lanceolate, persistent, appressed tomentellous, with few sessile glands on margins of most bracteoles. Flowers 5-7 mm long, solitary or in small clusters on central rachis. Receptacle campanulate, appressed hirsutulous on exterior, glabrous within except for pilose deflexed hairs around throat. Calyx lobes five, acute, appressed hirsutulous on exterior, gray-tomentellous within, eglandular. Petals five, pale purple, glabrous. Stamens six, unilateral; filaments far exceeding calyx lobes. Style pilose on lower portion, glabrous above. Ovary inserted near to mouth of receptacle, pilose. Fruit ovoid, ca. 3 mm long, 1.8-2.5 cm broad, appressed-hirsutulous on exterior; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, hard-bony, densely hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    This species, closest to Hirtella araguariensis is distinguished by the larger, more coriaceous leaves, the hirsutulous dark pubescence of the inflorescence, and the less grouped flowers of the inflorescence.

  • Common Names

    Bokobokotokon

  • Distribution

    Guyana South America|