Persea floccosa Mez
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Authority
Kopp, Lucille E. 1966. A tasonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western Hemisphere (Perseae-Lauraceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 14: 1-117.
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Family
Lauraceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Tree to 25 m.; branchlets slender to moderately coarse, sparsely to densely tawny-tomentose, soon becoming thickened and lenticulate, solid at the internodes, the bark not aromatic; petioles 2.5-5 cm. long, slender, canaliculate; leafblades 6-16 cm. long, 3-10 cm. wide, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, ovate to elliptic to subrotund, the tips subacuminate to acute to obtuse, the bases acute to obtuse, the upper surface glabrescent, the lower surface frequently pruinose, tawny-tomentose, the costa impressed above, prominent beneath, the 6-8 pairs of primary nerves divergent at 40-50°, impressed above, prominent beneath, the secondary nerves also impressed above and prominent beneath, the reticulation obscure above, prominulous beneath. Inflorescences subterminal, multiple, paniculate, slightly longer than the subtending leaves; peduncle 4.5-6 cm. long, slender, densely tawny-tomentose; pedicels 3-5 mm. long, slender, moderately to densely tawny-tomentose; flowers 4.5 mm. long; outer perianth-segments 3.8 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, elliptic, moderately to densely tawny-tomentose on both surfaces; inner perianth-segments 4.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, dense!) to moderately tawny-tomentose on both surfaces; filaments of series I and II densely tomentose, the anthers quadrilocular, oblong, dorsally tomentose; filaments of stamens of series III densely tomentose, the glands stipitate, subbasally adnate to the filament, the anthers oblong, laterally dehiscent, quadrilocular; staminodia (series IV) sagittate, apiculate, lacking a terminal tuft of hairs; gynoecium with dense subcrisped tawny-pubescence, the ovary ellipsoid; style about 2 mm. long; stigma triangular-peltate. Infructescence with few fruits; peduncle and pedicel thickened; perianth-segments deciduous; fruits to 5.5 mm. in diameter, subglobose, lenticellate.
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. At 2100-2800 m. alt. in the Mexican states of Puebla, Chiapas, and probably also in Oaxaca.
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Discussion
Vernacular name. Aguacate cimaron.
Type collection. F. M . Liebmann 758 (Lauraceae 85), Chinantla, Puebla, 7-8000 ft. M a y 1841. (holotype, C, isotypes B, C).
One of the "wild avocados." P. floccosa exhibits the typical floral and inflorescence structure of P. americana, but the flowers are smaller, the young fruits more globose, and die pubescence floccose as indicated by the specific epithet. The texture of die leaves is similar to those of P. americana var. nubigena, and its relationsliip lies here.