Echinodorus tunicatus Small
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Authority
Haynes, Robert R. & Holm-Nielsen, Laurtiz B. 1994. The Alismataceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 64: 1-228. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Alismataceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Panama. Marraganti and vicinity, 10-200 ft., 3-9 Apr 1908, R. S. Williams 991 (lectotype, NY!; isolectotype, NY!, here designated).
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Description
Species Description - Perennials, from short erect rhizomes, glabrous, to 130 cm tall; rhizomes to 3 cm long, to 3 cm diam. Leaves emersed, olive to brownish-green; blades ovate, entire, with 5-7 veins, 15-30 cm long, 10-20 cm wide, the pellucid markings forming a network independent of veins, the apex acuminate, the base cordate, the lobes rounded; petioles terete, slightly winged, 2-3 times as long as the blade, 4-6 mm diam., the base with a sheath to 10 cm long. Inflorescence racemose, of 4-6 whorls, erect, shorter than leaves, without vegetative proliferations, to 35 cm long, to 10 cm wide, the whorls with 12-18 flowers, the rachis triangular; peduncles terete, to 70 cm long, to 0.1-0.6 mm wide; bracts ovate, coarse median, membranous along margins, longer than to slightly shorter than pedicels subtended, to 6 cm long, to 0.2-0.5 mm wide, the apex long acuminte; pedicels spreading in flower and recurved in fruit, cylindric, to 10 cm long, to 1.5 cm diam. Flowers ca. 5 mm wide; sepals erect, surrounding the mature fruiting aggregate, to 30-veined, to 1 cm long, to ca. 7 mm wide, the veins without papillae; petals not clawed, 5-8 mm long, ca. 6 mm wide; stamens ca. 30, the anthers versatile, to 1.5 mm long, the apex obtuse, the filaments to 2 mm long, carpels numerous. Fruit clavate, terete, 3-4-ribbed, without a keel, glandular, separating when mature, mm long, 0.3-1.5 mm wide, the glands 3, elliptic, between the ribs, the beak terminal, recurved, 1-2 mm long.
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Discussion
Rataj (1975) indicated a holotype was preserved at NY. Actually, there are two specimens of Williams 991 at NY, both apparently examined by Small, and we here designate as the lectotype the sheet indicated by Rataj to be the holotype.
The species is not known to be cultivated. -
Objects
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Distribution
In the understory of swamp forests from Costa Rica to Peru and Brazil; flowering and fruiting year round; sea level to 500 m elev.
Costa Rica South America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Bolívar Colombia South America| Putumayo Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Pastaza Ecuador South America|