Tovomita obovata Engl.

45. Tovomita obovata Engl. View in CoL in Martius & al., Fl. Bras. 12(1): 451. 1888. – Lectotype (designated here): Guyana, ad ripas fluvii Pomeroon, “1844”, R. H. Schomburgk 878 (1365 in B) (K [ K000488530 ]!; isolectotypes: B [destroyed, negative no. 9213 in F!], BM [ BM000047398 ] photo!, K [ K000488529 ]!, W [no. W-0051858]!).

Description — Trees up to 30 m tall, prop roots conspicuous; exudate whitish-yellow, abundant. Petioles 2–3.2 cm long, smooth, green, lenticels absent. Leaf blades 14–22 × 5.4–11 cm, copper-coloured in sicco, coriaceous, black dots absent, conspicuously obovate, base decurrent, apex rounded sometimes emarginate; papillae, lenticels and fungal spots absent; exudate canals inconspicuous. Venation: secondary veins 7–9 pairs, 11–27 mm apart from each oth- er, forming angle 50°–55° to midvein, prominent on both surfaces, few arcuate near margin; intersecondary veins present, two or more per intercostal area, slightly thinner than secondary veins, distal course basiflexed,> 50 % of subjacent secondary length; tertiary veins percurrent, perpendicular; intramarginal vein absent. Inflorescences: ♂ lax cyme with 5 basal branches and up to 30 flowers, with terminal flower, ♀ cyme with 5 basal branches and up to 12 flowers, lenticels absent. Pedicels 16–43 mm long, light green, distal and proximal portion with same gauge, proximally articulated on lateral flowers of dichasia, calyptrae and lenticels absent. Floral buds 10–14 mm long, oblong to ovoid, apex apiculate, lenticels absent, not blackened in sicco. Sepals 4, 10–16 × 5–6 mm, ovate to oblong, apex apiculate to rounded, greenish-white; petals 6, 12–20 × 5–7 mm, oblong to obovate, reflexed, apex rounded, whitish-green. Staminate flowers: stamens c. 55, 9–12 mm long, isodynamous; filaments terete, white; anthers c. 1 mm long, white, connective not exceeding thecae; pistillode conspicuous with 5 rudimentary stigmas. Pistillate flowers: staminodes c. 50, 5.5–6 mm long, white; ovary c. 6.5 mm long, not costate, 5-locular, light green, stigmas 5, sessile, c. 2.5 mm in diam. Capsules fleshy, c. 3.5 × 2 cm (immature), 5-septate, pyriform when closed, not costate or lobed, rostrum absent, epicarp smooth, lenticels absent, green when immature, mesocarp not seen; sepals, petals, staminodes and stigmas persistent. Seeds not seen.

Distribution — Guyana (Demerara-Mahaica, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice). Fig. 68.

Nomenclatural notes — For the lectotype of Tovomita obovata we selected the specimen at K with more leaves and flowers. The specimen from B (photograph available in F [ F 0 BN009213 View Materials ]) was destroyed during World War II .

Recognition and discussion — Tovomita obovata is similar to T. longifolia , and these two species are sympatric in Guyana. The characters of both overlaps, but it is possible to distinguish T. obovata by the smaller, more coriaceous and always obovate leaves. Moreover, the flowers of T. obovata bear longer pedicels, less stamens (fl. ♂) and staminodes (fl. ♀), and conspicuously wider stigmas. Still, a deeper investigation is important, since there are few T. obovata specimens deposited in collections. These differences can be seen in Table 2.

Specimens examined — GUYANA: DEMERARA-MAHAICA: East Demerara Region , Yarowkabra settlement and forestry Station, 06°25'N, 58°10'W, 25 May 1986, bud, J. J GoogleMaps . Pipoly & H . Godfrey 7483 ( NY!) . POTARO-SIPARUNI: Pakaraima Mts , Sukabi R., 800 m , 20 Oct 1994, fl. ♀, T. W . Henkel & al. 5983 ( NY!) . UPPER DEMERARA-BERBICE: Karaow creek , 22 Nov 1918, fl. ♂, A . Leechman 513/11a ( K!); Essequibo river , 16 Apr 1922, fl. ♀, fr., L. S . Hohenkerk 453 C ( K!); Moraballi creek, near Bartica , 27 Sep 1929, bud, N. Y . Sandwith 349 ( K!, NY!); Labbakabra creek, Tiger creek, Essequibo river , 26 Aug 1937, fl. ♂, N. Y . Sandwith 1212 ( IAN!, K!); Siba creek, Kautaballi forest , 17 Apr 1941, fl. ♂, D. B . Fanshawe 3416 ( NY!); Groete creek , 27 Jun 1944, bud, D. B . Fanshawe 4731 ( A!, K!, NY!) .