Abuta mycetandra Krukoff & Barneby
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Authority
Barneby, Rupert C. & Krukoff, Boris A. 1971. Supplementary notes on American Menispermaceae. VIII. A generic survey of the American Tricilisisae and Anomospermeae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 22: 1-89.
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Family
Menispermaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Pube longa densa rufa florisque [male] sepalorum forma A. barbatae (procul allopatricae, guianensi) similis, imprimis androecii forma ut infra descripta diversissima. Frutex scandens statura truncoque ignotis, ramis annotinis novellisque, follis junioribus necnon inflorescentia [male] pilis patulis lucidis aureotinctis undique dense velutino-pilosulis, foliorum adultorum laminis autem superne inter nervos primaries glabratis; foliorum petiolus 2-7 cm longus, apice parum inflatus, lamina (matura) coriacea exsiccata olivaceo-brunnea sublucida, obovato-suborbicularis, 13-17 cm longa, 9.5-14 cm lata, nervis superne alte impressis bullata, inferne patule pilosula; venatio primaria ex ipso basi 5-plinervia, nervis exterioribus submarginaUbus brevibus, interioribus multo ultra mediam incurvo-adscendentibus demum cum marginali confluentibus, costa ad vel ultra mediam nervos secundarios majores adscendentes utroque latere 2 totaque longitudine minores transversales emittenti, laminae superficie superiori undique rete subtillimo areolas punctiformes circumscribenti notata, superficie inferiori rete alte prominulo areolas ± 0.2 mm latas alveolatim excavata; inflorescentiae [male] anguste paniculato-cymosae totae densissime aureo-pilosulae axes primarius 5-9 cm secundarii pauciflori vix ultra 6 mm longi, pedicelli 1.5-2.5 mm usque longi; flos [male]: sepala haud carnosa extus dense patule pilosula intus glabra subaequilonga sed dimorpha, exteriora 3 linearia vel anguste elliptico-oblanceolata 0.9-1.1 mm longa, 0.3-0.4 lata, interiora rhombico-ovata 1-1.2 mm longa, 1-1.1 mm lata; androecium glabrum 0.6 mm longum, filamentis inter se liberis subhomomorphis inferne anguste cuneiformibus sub antheras abrupte dilatatis, antherarum thecis terminalibus collateralibus; inflorescentia ? drupaque ignotae.
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Discussion
Fig. 2.
Type locality: vicinity of Requena, Fundo Palencia adjacent to and north of Fundo Canama.
In the relative proportions of the sepals and their long, barbate pubescence A. mycetandra resembles A. barbata Miers. The relatively small, when dry fragile staminate panicle and the long rufous pubescence of the branchlets suggest the same affinity. The androecium of A. barbata consists of sublinear filaments. Here the filaments are immensely and abruptly dilated immediately below the anthers, which are held aloft on a Httle mushroom-like platform substantially wider than themselves. The range of A. barbata being restricted, so far as known, to the lower Amazon in Brazil and the Guianas, little practical difficulty is anticipated in distinguishing A. mycetandra, found as yet only on the lower Ucayali in Peru and in one distant locality in Venezuela, but to be expected elsewhere in upper Amazonia. In this latter region it must be sympatric with A. pahni, from which its very differently proportionate staminate flower and entirely different androecium seem in our present state of ignorance as to the fruit the best differential characters. Leaves of A. mycetandra resemble those of A. pahni quite closely, and it would be difficult to separate sterile specimens.