Guatteria meliodora R.E.Fr.

14. Guatteria meliodora R.E.Fr. View in CoL — Fig. 17 View Fig ; Map 3

Guatteria meliodora R.E.Fr. (1939) View in CoL 500; Spichiger et al. (1989) 124, f. 58; Maas et al. (2007) 640. — Type: Krukoff 5050 (holo S; iso BM,F,K, MO,NY, U, US), Brazil, Amazonas, Basin of Rio Juruá, near mouth of Rio Embira, tributary of Rio Tarauacá, 28 June 1933.

Tree 18–35 m tall, 10–20 cm diam, bark deeply fissured; young twigs rather densely covered with appressed hairs, very soon glabrous. Leaves: petiole 5 –10 mm long, 3– 5 mm diam; lamina narrowly obovate to narrowly elliptic, 22– 35 by 8 –12 cm (leaf index 2.4– 3.2), coriaceous, sparsely verruculose, often shiny above, greyish green to brown above, brown below, glabrous above, sparsely covered with appressed hairs to almost glabrous below, base acute, slightly attenuate, apex often rounded and bluntly and very shortly acuminate (acumen up to c. 5 mm long), primary vein impressed above, distinctly keeled to rounded below, secondary veins distinct, 18– 20 on either side of primary vein, raised above, smallest distance between loops and margin 3 – 4 mm. Flowers in 1-flowered inflorescences in axils of leaves or on leafless branchlets; pedicels 10– 20 mm long, c. 2 mm diam, fruiting pedicels to 25 mm long, c. 3 mm diam, rather densely to sparsely covered with appressed hairs, articulated at 0.2– 0.3 from the base, bracts 5 –6, soon falling, the basal bract (only 1 seen) depressed ovate, c. 2 mm long, the upper one broadly ovate, c. 3 mm long; flower buds depressed ovoid; sepals free, broadly ovate-triangular, 7–10 by 7–10 mm, reflexed, outer side densely to rather densely covered with appressed hairs; petals green, maturing yellow in vivo, ovate to obovate, 20– 25 by 12–15 mm, outer side densely to rather densely covered with appressed, white hairs; stamens 1.5 – 2 mm long, connective shield papillate. Monocarps 50–100, green, maturing black in vivo, brown in sicco, ellipsoid, 18– 22 by 10–13 mm, sparsely covered with appressed hairs to glabrous, apex rounded to apiculate (apiculum < 0.5 mm long), wall c. 1 mm thick, stipes 5 –7 by 1– 2 mm. Seed not seen, abortive.

Distribution — Guyana, Peru ( Loreto) and Brazil ( Acre,Amazonas).

Habitat & Ecology — In non-inundated (terra firme) forest, sometimes campinarana forest or campina forest, on sandy soil. The collection from Guyana ( Clarke et al. 7132) is found in seasonally flooded forest on grey sand with Eperua , Clusia and Oenocarpus . At elevations of 125– 240 m. Flowering: March, May, June, August, September; fruiting: August, December.

Vernacular names — Brazil: Envira. Peru: Carahuasca ( Vásquez 10436), Zorro caspi ( Spichiger 1772).

Notes — The label of the type collection of G. meliodora mentions that the yellow flowers have a strong odour resembling honey (hence the specific name).

Guatteria meliodora is well distinct from other species of sect. Mecocarpus by its thick, sparsely verruculose and often shortly acuminate and shiny leaves. It is noteworthy that the primary vein is keeled below in part of the material. For differences with G. dura see under the latter.

Pereira INPA /WWF 2303.6161 (U) from Brazil, Amazonas, Fazenda Dimona, 90 km N of Manaus, may belong here, but this sterile collection is aberrant in having a strongly attenuate leaf base.