Persea subcordata (Ruiz & Pav.) Nees
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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 18 m.; branchlets coarse, hollow at the internodes, sparsely to densely ferrugineous or tawny-lanate, the bark not usually aromatic; petioles 1-4.5 cm., sparsely to densely ferrugineous- or tawny-lanate; leaf-blades 9-22 cm. long, 5-15 cm. wide, subchartaceous, ovate to elliptic to obovate, the tips acute to obtuse to rounded, the bases acute, obtuse, rounded, cordate, or truncate, the upper surface dull, glabrescent, the lower surface sparsely to moderately ferrugineous- to tawny-lanate, the costa slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, the 10-13 pairs of primary veins divergent at 70°, slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, the reticulation obscure above, prominulous beneath. Inflorescences axillary panicles each exceeding its subtending leaf; peduncles 6-16 cm. long, sparsely to densely tawny- or ferrugineous-lanate, the rachises 1.5-2 cm. long; flowers 5 mm., subsessile; outer perianth-segments 2.5-2.8 mm. long, 2.2-3 mm. wide, ovate, lanate without, glabrous within; inner perianth-segments 2.8-4.5 mm. long, 2.2-3 mm. wide, elliptic, lanate within and without; stamens about 3.5 mm., the anthers about 1.5 mm., the filaments about 2 mm., the filaments of series I and II sparsely pilose; the anthers oblong-ovate, quadrilocular; filaments of series III glabrous to sparsely pilose, the glands sessile and adnate to the basal 1/3 of the filament, the anthers oblong, mostly quadrilocular (rarely bilocular), laterally to extrorsely dehiscent; staminodia of series IV sagittate; gynoecium glabrous, the ovary subglobose, glabrous; style 2-2.5 mm., glabrous; stigma triangular. Infructescence with the pedicels lignescent; perianth-segments patent, persistent; fruit subglobose (immature) .
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. South American Andes, 1500-3000 m. alt.
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Discussion
Laurus subcordata R. & P., Flor. Peruv. 4, t. 492. 1802.
Persea vestita Mez, Jahrb. Bot. Gart. Berlin 5: 154. 1889.
Type collection. H . Ruiz & J. Pavon s.n., Chinchao, Peru (holotype presumably at MA, isotypes B, F [fragment]).
Vernacular name. Laurelon: Venezuela; Palton: Ecuador.
Though rather widespread, P. subcordata is represented by few collections, and the species is quite variable in leaf-size and-shape. T h e large ovate leaves and the yellowish pubescence of the Bernardi collection give a slightly different appearance. The Zentmyer, Sawada, and MacBride collections differ in having smaller leaves than does the type, and may be considered by some to represent another taxon.
Mez described P. vestita as a new species having all anthers 4-celled, and P. subcordata as having the third whorl 2-celled. Only in Lehmann 7938 are the upper locules minute, and the anthers of the type are definitdy bilocular, indicating a tendency toward the loss of these upper cells Avithin the species.
The coarser pedundes, shorter pubescence, larger leaves and flat leaf-margins characterize and distinguish P. subcordata from P. hirta, its nearest relative. T he P. subcordata group, consisting of this species, P. hirta, and P. bullata, is allied to the group characterized by P. mutisii. T h e former group differs in its long pedundes and long subterete petioles; the latter is characterized by the telescoped branchlet tip and by the short dilated petioles. T h e characters shared by both groups are the subsessile flowers, branchlets hollow at the internodes, short rachises, and similarity of distribution.