Guatteria monticola R.E.Fr.

101. Guatteria monticola R.E.Fr. View in CoL — Map 24

Guatteria monticola R.E.Fr. (1952a) 395. — Type: Forest Department British Guiana 5882 = Wilson-Browne 473 (holo NY 2 sheets; iso FDG, K, S), Guyana, Kanuku Mts, Wabuwak, ‘ 2000 ft. ’, Nov. 1948.

Tree 5–30 m tall, 10–25 cm diam; young twigs densely covered with appressed to erect, brown hairs to c. 2 mm long, soon glabrous. Leaves: petiole 4–10 mm long, 1–2 mm diam; lamina narrowly elliptic, 11–18 by 4–7 cm (leaf index 2.6–3.6), charta- ceous, not verruculose, dull, greyish pale brown to dark brown above, dark brown below, glabrous above, but primary vein densely covered with erect, brown hairs, densely covered with appressed, brown hairs to c. 1 mm long below, base acute, apex acuminate (acumen 5–10 mm long), primary vein impressed above, secondary veins distinct, 10–13 on either side of primary vein, flat to slightly impressed above, smallest distance between loops and margin 1–2 mm, tertiary veins flat above, reticulate. Flowers in 1(–2)-flowered inflorescences in axils of leaves, occasionally also on leafless branchlets; pedicels 10–25 mm long, c. 1 mm diam, fruiting pedicels to c. 3 mm diam, densely covered with appressed to erect, brown hairs, articulated at 0.2–0.5 from the base, bracts 5–6, soon falling, broadly ovate, the 2 uppermost ones c. 3 mm long; flower buds depressed ovoid; sepals free, broadly ovate-triangular, 4–7 by 4–6 mm, appressed, outer side densely covered with appressed, brown hairs; petals green or yellowish green in vivo, ovate to elliptic to narrowly so, 10– 26 by 6–10 mm, outer side densely covered with appressed, brown hairs; stamens c. 1 mm long, connective shield papillate, umbonate or not. Monocarps 30–50, black in vivo, black to dark brown in sicco, ellipsoid, 5–7 by 3–4 mm, sparsely covered with appressed hairs, soon glabrous, apex bluntly apiculate (apiculum 0.1–0.5 mm long), wall 0.1–0.2 mm thick, stipes 5–15 by 0.5–1 mm. Seed ellipsoid, 6–7 by 4 mm, shiny brown, pitted to slightly transversely grooved, raphe not distinct from rest of seed.

Distribution — Amazonian Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolívar), Guyana, Suriname.

Habitat & Ecology — In non-inundated forest or in savannas (in Guyana) on rocky outcrops or on sandy soil.At elevations of 0–700 m. Flowering: May, October, November; fruiting: March, October .

Vernacular names — Not recorded.

Note — Guatteria monticola looks very similar to G. procera , but is distinct in a number of features. For further explanation, see under the latter.