Talisia firma Radlk.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2003. Meliococceae (Sapindaceae):
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Family
Sapindaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Venezuela. Amazonas: Casiquiare, Vasiva & Pasimoni rivers, 1853-54 (fl), Spruce 3311 (holotype, B-destroyed; isotypes, K-3, NY, P-2; frag, at M).
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Synonyms
Talisia multinervis Radlk.
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Description
Species Description - Tree 10-20 (30) m tall, branching on upper portion; trunk to 27 cm in diam.; bark light grey, smooth. Twigs nearly terete to obtusely angled, sulcate, glabrous, lenticellate with age. Leaves paripinnate or less often imparipinnate; distal process filiform, ca. 4 mm long, early deciduous; leaflets (2) 4 (5), opposite, lanceolate, oblong or elliptic, 5.5-17 × 3-7.8 cm, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, glabrous, the adaxial surface slightly lustrous, with plane midvein, the abaxial surface dull, drying darker, with prominent midvein, the venation brochidodromus, prominulous on both surfaces, tertiary veins reticulate, the margins entire, undulate, the apex obtuse, acute to long-acuminate, the base asymmetrical, one side obtuse the other rounded; petiolules pulvinate, slender, 5-10 mm long, slightly flattened on adaxial surface, glabrous; rachis 1-4 cm long, nearly terete, bisulcate along adaxial surface, glabrous; petioles 1.7-8 cm long, slightly flattened along adaxial surface, slightly enlarged at base, glabrous. Thyrse panicle-shaped, axillary or distal, 5-25 cm long; cataphylls absent; axes angled, sulcate, puberulent; bracts early deciduous, oblong-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm long, with same indumentum as the axis; bracteoles similar but smaller; dichasia simple to compound, sometimes only one flower developing; peduncles slightly flattened, 0-2 mm long, pubescent or tomentulose; pedicels 3-4 mm long, articulate at upper third, with same indumentum as the peduncle. Calyx green, 3-4.5 mm long, puberulent to pubescent, the sepals free to the base, oblong-lanceolate to ovate, slightly concave; petals elliptic-deltate, lanceolate-deltate or deltate, 3.6-5.5 mm long, reflexed at anthesis, white, adaxially villose on upper half, abaxially appressed-pubescent on lower half, the apex acute or obtuse, the base cuneate; appendages similar to the petals in shape, as long as or slightly shorter than the petals, adaxially villous on upper half, abaxially papillate, adnate along margins of lower half of the petal to form a pocket, the apex obtuse; disc annular, 5-lobed, villose, 0.6-0.8 mm tall; stamens 8, the filaments of unequal lengths, 0.5/1.51.3/2.4 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 0.9-1 mm long, ovate, glabrous, obtuse at apex; ovary conical, ferruginous-tomentose, the stigma cylindric-capitate, papillate. Fruits ovoid to elliptic, woody, densely fulvo-sericeous, yellowish green when ripe, 2.5-2.7 cm long, shortly apiculate at apex, the pericarp ca. 2 mm thick Seeds one per fruit, ovoid, ca. 2 cm long, with a fleshy white testa. Embryo with cotyledons superimposed, the upper one slightly larger than the lower one.
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Discussion
The specific epithet meaning firm or strong does not seem to refer to any feature of this species. It has been suggested to me by Dr. Nicolson (US) that it might refer to the terra firme habitat, however, the species is known to grow only in periodically flooded forest.
Phenology. Collected in flower from January to April and in July and August, and in fruit from March to September and in November. -
Common Names
cedrillo
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Distribution
Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Brazil, in igapo, varzea, and terra firme forests on clayish soil.
Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Vaupés Colombia South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|