Acrodiclidium mariae Britton & P. Wilson ined.

• Title

  Acrodiclidium mariae Britton & P. Wilson ined.

• Authors

  Nathaniel Lord Britton

• Scientific Name

  Acrodiclidium mariae Britton & P. Wilson ined.

• Description

  Acrodiclidium Mariae Britton & Wilson, sp. nov. An evergreen tree, up to about 10 m. high, with two or several trunks together, the foliage glabrous throughout, at least when old, the twigs subterete, the light gray bark smooth. Leaves elliptic to elliptic-ovate, coriaceous, 7-16 cm. long, about 6 cm. wide, or narrower, dark green above, paler beneath, lustrous, acute, short-acuminate, or some of the smaller ones obtuse, the base narrowed, or obtuse, the yellowish-green midvein and the pinnate, lateral veins prominent, both surfaces finely reticulate-veined; peticles stout, 5-10 mm. long; inflorescence a subterminal panicle, shorter than the leaves, glabrous throughout, at least when old, the twigs subterate, the light gray bark smooth. Leaves elliptic to elliptic-ovate, coriaceous, 7-16 cm. long, about 6 cm. wide, or narrower, dark green above, paler beneath, lustrous, acute, short-acuminate, or some of the smaller ones obtuse, the base narrowed, or obtuse, the yellowish-green midvein and the pinnate, lateral veins prominent, both surfaces finely reticulate-veined; peticles stout, 5-10 mm. long; inflorescence a subterminal panicle, shorter than the leaves, glabrous, the green, fleshy flowers sessile on its branches, the unopened buds about 5 mm. long, subcylindric, rounded and obtusely 3-angular at the top; outer sepals 3, valvate, separated, subreniforme, 2.5 mm. broad; inner sepals 3, nearly orbicular, about 1mm. broad; minute stamens, or staminodes apparently in 2 series of 3; ovary immersed in the upper one-third of the calyx; style 1 mm. long, about as long as the ovary, topped by 6 minute, suborbicular stigmas; cupule obconic, double-margined, subtruncate, or slightly lobed, about 12 mm. long, and 8 mm. broad; drupe nearly cylindric, rounded at both ends, viscid, about 15 mm. long, 6-7 mm. in diameter. Steep hillside, Casa Maria, San German, Porto Rico, April, 1932, (N.L. Britton and E.G. Britton 9914). Two trees only were found, one of them fruiting when first studied; a twig bearing a panicle of very young flowers was collected from this tree, later in April, by Mrs. Mary T. Heylman, and much more mature panicles were taken from it by Professor Boyd B. Palmer, early in June, who observed that the flowers were then falling away without expanding their sepals, and turning black in drying, and material sent by him shows these characters. We refer this species, tentatively, to the genus Acrodiclidium; its panicles are quite different from those of typical species, but its fruit resembles that of Acrodiclidium salicifolium (Sw.) Griseb., Canela, apparently the most nearly related tree in the Porto Rico Flora. It may, perhaps, be better, when we have more knowledge of it, to classify the species as a distinct, generic type. Peons at San German know the tree as Cacao Macho; for an English name we suggest Casa Maria Laurel. N. L. Britton July 4, 1932