Trichilia micropetala Penn.
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Authority
Pennington, Terence D. 1981. Meliaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 28: 1-359, 418-449, 459-470. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Meliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Pires, Rodrigues & Irvine 51334, Brazil, Territorio Amapá, Rio Araguari, fl (holotype, INPA; isotype, FHO).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Rami novelli puberuli (trichomatibus basifixis), mox glabri, asperi, brunnei, vulgo lenticellosi. Perulae nullae. Folia trifoliolata, imparipinnata vel pinnata uno foliolo paris ultimi ad instar folioli terminalis ordinato, 1-5 cm longa; petiolus cum rhachide semiteres, puberulus; petiolulus (0.5-)2-4 mm longus. Foliola opposita usque alterna, dimorpha, 3-5 cum (l-)2 paribus foliolorum valde reduc-torum ("pseudostipularum") sub basin petioli; foliola normalia elliptica vel rarius oblanceolata, apice acuminata, basi anguste attenuata, 6-10.6[8.9] cm longa, 2.2-4.2[3.4] cm lata (foliolo terminali vulgo majore, ad 14 cm longo), interdum ad costam superiorem subpuberula, cetera glabra, modo glanduloso-punctata vel -striata, modo non; venatio eucamptodroma, costa prominula; nervi secundarii 8-11 utroque costae latere, arcuato-adscendentes, convergentes, intersecundarii breves, tertiarii ± obliqui. Foliola basalia reducta lanceolata usque ovata basi cordata, vel reniformia, petiolulata, 0.2-1.6 cm longa, vulgo persistentia. Flores unisexuales (planta dioica); inflorescentia axillaris, 4.5-21 cm longa, subtiliter puberula, in thyrsum gracilem, laxe ramosum, sat pauciflorum vel multiflorum disposita, ramis lateralibus ad 8 cm longis, perpendiculariter ad axem parentibus; pedicellus 0.5-1 mm longus. Calyx patelliformis, 0.5-1 mm, 4-5-lobatus lobis late triangularibus vel vadosissimis usque dimidium calycem aequantibus, indumento puberulo conspersus vel subglaber. Petala (3-)4(-5), per 1/2-2/3 coalita, valvata, erecta vel paullum patula in flore aperto remanentia, [male] 1.75-2 mm, [female] 2-2.5 mm, ovata usque lanceolata, apice acuta, extus minutis pilis adpressis conspersa. Tubus stamineus cyathiformis vel urceolatus, filamentis toto coalitis, [male] 0.75-1.25 mm longus atque latus, [female] ca. 1.75 mm, margine 7-8-lobatus (lobis acutis usque subulatis, alternantibus cum antheris et longitudinem suam 1/2-3/4 attingentibus), glaber vel interdum aliquot pilis longis ad fauces vestitus; antherae 7-8, 0.4-0.8 mm longae, glabrae; antherodia similia, non dehiscentia, polline expertia. Nectarium nullum. Ovarium ovoideum, puberulum, sensim attenuatum in brevem stylum glabrum; 3-loculare, loculis 2 ovulis collateralibus; styli capitulum capitatum, antherodia aequans; pistillodium minus, complanate ovoideum, ovulis minoribus abortivis instructum; styli capitulum imas antheras aequans. Fructus ignotus.
Species Description - Treelet or tree to 20 m. Flowers creamish-yellow to greenish-white produced from August to November, once recorded in January.
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Discussion
Relationships
Trichilia micropetala is related to T. lecointei and T. surinamensis. It shares with T. lecointei the characteristic dimorphic leaflets but differs from it in a number of other vegetative and floral characters. It has 3-5 leaflets with a regular base (8-11, base asymmetric in T. lecointei); leaflets with 8-11 secondary veins (12-13 in T. lecointei); petals 1.75-2.5 mm, fused 1/2-2/3 their length ((2-)2.5-3.5 mm, free or fused only at base in T. lecointei).Trichilia surinamensis differs in lacking the reduced basal leaflets on the petiole, and in the presence of dibrachiate hairs on the young parts (basifixed simple hairs in T. micropetala), and in the larger leaves with more leaflets. In other respects the two species are similar. -
Distribution
This species is confined to a small region near the mouth of the Amazon, where it has been recorded from Territorio Amapa and twice from south of the river in Para. It is a plant of lowland forest usually on non-flooded land.
Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|