Persea campii L.E.Kopp

  • 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.

  • Family

    Lauraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Persea campii L.E.Kopp

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Arbor ad 8 m.; ramuli crassi, glabri, sine odore; petioli 1-1.5 cm. longi, crassi, glabri; laminae 9-16 cm. longae, 5-9 cm. latae, coriaceae, obovatae, apicibus ex obtusis ad rotundos, basibus ex acutis ad rotundas, superficie superiore nitida, glabra, inferiore glabra, glauca, costa e plana ad paulo depressam, infra prominenti, venis primariis (8-9 jugis) ex angulo 50-65° divertentibus, supra admodum obscuris, infra prominentibus, reticulo ad superficies utrosque obscuro. Inflorrescentia non visa; florum characteribus ex reliquiis in fructibus. Antherae serierum I, II, et III quadriloculares; series IV e staminodiis sagittatis constans. Infructescentia subterminalis, magna et ampla, multifructuosa, longitudine folia excedens; rachis multis lenticellis instructa, lignescens; pedicelli 1 cm. longi; perianthii segmenta omnino persistentia, patentia; fructus 2 cm. longus, 2.5 cm. latus, subglobosus, colore pullo.

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Ecuador. Known only from the type collection.

  • Discussion

    Type collection. W. H. Camp 4376, Azuay, Eastern Cordillera, 1-8 km. north of Sevilla de Oro. "Tree 8 m. Lvs. coriaceous, deep green above, glaucous-pale below. Inflorescence terminal, large, much branched. Fruit spherical, nitid, creases near base, 1-seeded, turning yellow." 8000-9000 ft. alt. 27 July-12 Aug. 1945 (holotype NY).

    Though the collector refers in his notes to the terminal inflorescence, it is probably subterminal. Its relationship is with Persea mutisii and considering the amount of variation in this species, it is possible that there may have been some collections of flowering material included under P. mutisii which should have been induded here. However, the infructescence and fruits of this collection are much larger than those of P. mutisii, and there should be no reason for confusion. The petioles are not as broad in proportion to their length as those of P. mutisii and the leaves tend to be longer than those of that species. It is also to be included in subg. Eriodaphne, sect. Mutisaea.